Sailing on the Winds of Love
by Just A Dreamer9
Summary: It's been many years since the days of the Waker of Winds but Link has finally returned home with his band of pirates. I do not own the picture or the legend of Zelda. Picture credit goes to BeagleTsuin on Deviant Art and the great Miyamoto and the Nintendo team
1. Chapter 1

Sailing on the Winds of Love

It had been many years since the departure of Link and Tetra's band of pirates to go find a new land for the people to inhabit. In her tower where she loved to stand and watch the seagulls with her telescope, Aryll looked out over the vast ocean towards the horizon spying the merchant, Beedle, the treasure hunter brothers with their diving helmets, and all sorts of aquatic life that had returned to the Great Sea now that evil had left. Today, however, she spotted something new. She saw a great big ship bearing a sail with a crossed sword design, red and gold trim, a dragon figurehead, and flew a black flag with a white skull and crossed swords design on it. The most remarkable thing on the ship though, was the man clad in green standing on the very end of the bow of the ship waving his arms, his silly green hat flapping in the wind. Link, her dear heroic brother, had finally returned home after so many years. The now sixteen year old Aryll flew down the ladder and ran to her grandmother, telling everyone the news on the way.

"Grandma! Grandma! Link is back! Link is coming home! And he brought Tetra and the pirates, too!" Aryll told her grandmother who was preparing fish stew in the fireplace pot. She dropped the fish she was chopping up and looked up at her granddaughter.

"At last!" She put her hands together. "My grandson has come home! Aryll, please, you must stall him for a few minutes while I cook some of his favorite Elixir Soup." She hurried Aryll out the door and swiftly began cooking Elixir Soup in a second pot over the fire while singing a little tune.

"Hoy!" Link yelled from atop the mighty ship. "Sister!" He was so happy to finally see her again that he jumped off the side and straight into the water before they even docked and swam to shore. He got up and ran to hug his not so little sister. "Aryll! It's so good to see you after all these years! I know we wrote a lot but it's not the same as actually being able to see you. Wow you've grown!" He said amazed at exactly how big she had gotten over the years. Of course, he had too, but it had taken him a while to notice how big he had gotten over the years.

"So have you, Brother! You have huge muscles now! But I think I'm as tall as you." She replied. The two siblings stood back to back and measured their heights. Aryll was indeed as tall as Link. He continued greeting the inhabitants of Outset Island until Tetra docked and came ashore with her pirate crew.

"Tetra!" Aryll cried in glee as she ran over to her pirate friend.

"Hey there, Aryll. How ya been?" Tetra asked, suddenly being hugged by Aryll.

"I've been great! I'm learning how to be a trader while I help out Grandma. I'm going to get to travel all over the Great Sea and see new things and explore!" Aryll said excitedly.

"Well let me tell ya, kid. I have been a pirate my entire life and have been to places you wouldn't believe. So believe me when I tell you that there's no place like home. Sure a ship that you live in your whole life is great and all but there comes a time when you really just need a place to return to after your adventures. That place is home." Tetra replied placing her hand on Aryll's shoulder.

"Yeah. But I bet having Link on the ship isn't so bad either huh, Tetra?" Aryll asked with a sly grin and nudged her with her elbow. Tetra's eyes got wide and her face went as red as her scarf.

"I…uh…I mean he's….!" She spluttered. After a few seconds of silence Tetra could only think of one option. "Everyone back on the ship! We are leaving!" She ordered. Link and the pirates looked at her confused.

"Kids! Time to eat!" Grandma yelled from the doorway where the smell of freshly cooked Elixir Soup and fish stew wafted through the doorway and into everyone's noses. As soon as the men smelled the delicious food, they all charged into Link's house but were stopped at the doorway by Grandma.

"You boys need to wash up! You've been out at sea for who knows how long? I don't want a bunch of salty seafarers at my table smelling like they haven't showered in months. There's a well around back with a bucket and some soap on the shelf. Off you go, then. The food will still be nice and warm by the time you get back." She commanded.

"Yes ma'am." They all said sounding disappointed and left to go wash up.

"Except you, Link. Come give your Grandma a hug." She said hugging her significantly taller grandchild. "It's so good to see you again, Link. How have you been? Are you eating well?" She asked.

"Yes, Grandma I've been staying well fed. And I am doing much better now that I am back home. It's so good to be back. But enough about me how have you been, Grandma?" Link asked.

"I'm doing just fine thanks to Aryll. She's a great help. She goes and gets things for me on the other islands. Did you hear that she's learning to be a trader? Yes she's going to be a great trader indeed. It is so good to see how my grandchildren have grown up into such fine people. You saved the world and even discovered a new land for people to call home. Well done, Link. Oh before you go wash up I wanted to ask you one last thing." She said.

"Yes, Grandma?" He replied.

"What about that nice girl Tetra? She's very pretty you know." She said.

"What about her?" Asked Link nervously.

"I'm asking if I can look forward to having any heroic pirate grandkids running around the house anytime soon?" She explained. Link's face went bright red as he struggled to find words.

"I think I'm gonna go wash up for lunch if that's okay with you, Grandma." He said quietly.

"You do that." Grandma replied with a smile. A few moments after Link rounded the corner, roaring laughter could be heard from Gonzo and the others.

As everyone sat around the small table eating, there was much talk of the adventures they had had while gone and while Link was still busy saving the islanders.

"So there I was," Link said with everyone crowded around closely, intently listening to Link's tale. "in the middle of a whirlpool circling an eighteen-eyed Big Octo, I had run out of bombs and arrows and was about to get swallowed up by the over-sized sushi platter so what do I do?" He looked around to make sure everybody was feeling the dramatic effect. "I grab my hookshot and shout at the beast, 'I don't need arrows or bombs to take you down! I'll do it with my own two hands, you over-sized piece of sushi!' I hook into one of his eyes and propel myself onto him, and then use my cutlass to gouge out the rest of his eyes, flying around his face like a Keese using my hookshot. And that's how I earned the title, 'Big-Octo Slayer'" He said with a proud grin on his face.

"Oh really?" Said Tetra. "Because last time you told that story, it was a twelve-eyed Big Octo and you were still a few laps around before you were gonna get swallowed up." Link smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"What? Can't I have a little bit of fun? You guys love that story." Link laughed.

"Well I think it was a wonderful story." Grandma chimed in. "Even if it was completely embellished." This resulted in the entire house shaking from everyone's laughter.

"So how long will you be here, Tetra?" Aryll asked.

"Who knows? We're on vacation. But with grub like this, we might never leave." She answered rubbing her belly.

"Aye!" Everyone agreed in unison. After lunch, everyone milled about on Outset Island taking in the many views it had to offer.

"Aryll, I need to talk to you for a minute." Link said pulling her away from Tetra and anyone else nearby.

"What is it, Link?" She asked.

"I…I need help with uh….Tetra. I like her. And..I want to give her some flowers but I don't know if she'll like it. You're a girl. What do I do?" He pleaded.

"Aww that's so sweet! I knew you two would get together! When you and Tetra came to rescue me from the Forsaken Fortress, Gonzo told me that although Tetra had a tough outer shell, she also could be a real softy sometimes so she does have a soft side you can try and go for. I saw a nice set of jewelry on Windfall Island. You could go buy that for her. Hey, didn't you first meet her in the Forest of Fairies on the other side of the island? If she likes flowers, there are plenty there!" She said.

"That's a great idea, Aryll!" Link exclaimed.

"Aye, that it is!" Gonzo agreed walking up.

"Gonzo! How long were you standing there?" Link asked taken aback.

"Long enough. And I would like to add that it is high time you went for it. By the winds, Link! You should have gone for it years ago. I'll keep her on the island and away from you until you are ready. The entire crew is counting on you, Link. We've been waiting for this day ever since you joined us. Shove off, now. Get to Windfall Island and get that jewelry. Tetra loves jewelry but nothing too fancy. Get her a pair of nice ear rings." Gonzo said.

"Alright thanks, Gonzo! Aryll, come with me. We'll take one of the canoes. I just have to run in and grab my old wind waker and we can use cyclones to travel." Link explained.

"Okay! It should be in the box under you bed upstairs. I'll get the boat ready and grab a sail." She replied. They shoved off and once they were out of view of any people, Link played the Ballad of Gales and a cyclone carried them to Windfall Island where Link quickly greeted everyone he met including the now teenage Killer Bee Gang. He quickly ran to the merchant stalls and talked to Mila who now owned the stand as Zunari returned to his far away home.

"Hi, Mila! I don't see Zunari around. How is he doing these days?" Link asked.

"Oh hi, Link! I didn't even recognize you standing there! I thought the green clothes looked familiar but you've just grown so big and muscular. I haven't seen you in years! How have you been? Thank you again for stopping me from stealing that night a few days after you rescued us from the Forsaken Fortress. And to answer your question, Zunari retired. He left to go back home and gave the stall to me. He made so much money off of all the things you and the traveling merchants traded with him that he just up and retired. So how can I help you today?" The blonde haired girl asked.

"I'm asking a girl out and I need to know if you have any nice ear rings for sale. Nothing incredibly fancy, just really nice. She's a pirate if that helps." He trailed off.

"Oh, Link I have just the thing!" Mila responded giddily. She quickly reached under the wooden stall countertop and brought up a pair of small ear rings made of flattened copper with a skull on one side and a cutlass on the other.

"I'll take them!" He slapped a bag of rupees down and bought them.

"It was really great seeing you again, Link. Do you know if you'll be back in the region anytime soon? Everyone loves having you back." She asked after she gave the ear rings to him.

"Yeah I think Tetra is wanting to get back to people she knows. So yeah should be. Anyways, I gotta get back before anyone notices I'm gone. It was great seeing you again Mila! Tell everyone I said hey!" Link shouted.

"Good luck with asking Tetra out!" Mila replied before Link dragged Aryll down to the docks and left for Outset Island on a cyclone. As soon as they docked and put everything away that needed to be put away, Link headed to the other side of the island and into the forest.

"Looking for a flower…Flower….Flow….er…" Link mumbled to himself as he searched around for some flowers. He found a small patch of purple petaled flowers with a yellow center and picked them.

"I wonder if she'll like these. I really hope she does." Link said to himself. He left the forest and headed back down the island. As he got back to his house, he saw Tetra relaxing on the edge of the porch and quickly hid his flowers and gift in his magic satchel.

"Hoy, Link. Where'd ya go?" She asked.

"Oh I just had to run an errand in Windfall. Didn't take long. Have you been enjoying your time on land?" He replied.

"Yeah, Link. I really have. And I've been thinking about stuff lately. Like how there's no place like home that you can return to after a long time at sea, y'know? I mean. Wouldn't it be nice to maybe settle down somewhere later on? Somewhere like here. A nice quiet place like this. With someone really special." She said gesturing to the island around her.

"Yeah. That would be really nice." Link answered and hopped up beside her. As the two of them talked, Aryll, Grandma, and the pirates all gathered around behind the house listening in. They sat in silence for a few moments. "I actually wanted to ask you something about what you said." He said hesitantly.

"About what?" Tetra asked.

"About settling down after a while. How do I put this?" Link asked himself.

"Link? What are you trying to get at?" Tetra asked suspiciously. Link collected his thoughts, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Remember the first time we met? You were in the Forest of Fairies up on top of the island. I saw you fall out of the sky and came to help you. You were kind of bossy at first but I got use to that. When my sister got taken, sure, you didn't want to help at first, but I had a feeling that if you had just given it a little thought, you would have wanted to help those girls just as much as I did. You helped me rescue my sister, retrieve the Master Sword, and we even had our own share of adventures after we saved the world from Ganon. It was during that time that I really started thinking about you." He told her looking at the ground.

"Link?" Tetra asked quietly.

"To be honest though, I have probably been thinking about you for years and just never realized what was happening. Here, I got you something while I was gone." He said as he pulled out the flowers from his magic satchel. "I got you these. They're found in the forest where we first met. Also these ear rings." He handed them to her. "Back to what you were saying about settling down. I…I want you to be my girlfriend!" He finally said. Tetra gently set her gifts to the side, put her hand on the side of Link's face and sweetly said, "Link?"

"Yeah?" He answered.

"You're an idiot."

"What?" His face fell. A noise came from behind the house that sounded like a bunch of pirates trying to compose themselves and a particularly large pirate falling over.

"You certainly do not have the Triforce of Wisdom that's for sure. Link, really. Did you forget that we do almost everything together? We hunt for treasure together, we saved the world together, and we even discovered a new land together. You are the First Mate of the ship not to mention you are my best friend. I just had to fall for an idiot didn't I, Link?" She teased playfully and swung her arm around him.

"Yeah. I guess we both did." He nudged her side with his elbow. "After all, how could someone not know that they're a princess? If you ask me, I think that Triforce of Wisdom of yours is a cheap knockoff. You should get your money back." They both laughed for a while about it all.

"To answer your question, yes. I will be your girlfriend even though I basically have been ever since you joined us." Tetra leaned and kissed him on his cheek. As soon as it happened, everyone came rushing from behind the house and swarmed the two of them.

"Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for this day?!" Gonzo exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Nudge and Senza concurred.

"Does this mean I'll be getting some new swabbies?" Niko asked excitedly.

"Niko! No!" Both Link and Tetra yelled with fully red faces.

"Niko! Go walk the plank!" Tetra ordered pointing to the ocean.

"But Captain, there's no plank." He argued.

"I don't care! Just go walk into the ocean a few hundred paces! Or do I have to use the catapult?" She commanded.

"Aye, Cap'n!" He quickly ran as fast as his still short legs would take him into the ocean and began counting his paces. Tetra pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'm surrounded by idiots." Tetra muttered to herself.

"Yeah, but we're your idiots!" Gonzo replied and started a group hug with Tetra and Link in the middle.

"Just a thought but, I've got a retreat that I bought from a teacher on Windfall Island. It's about a day East of here. If you're still interested in settling down with an idiot that is." Link whispered to Tetra.

"Sounds good. Just make sure you don't sell it anytime soon." She replied.

"You be good to her now, Link. I'm not getting any younger. I want some grandkids running around here and soon!" Grandma told him.

"Everyone on the boat we're leaving!" Link semi ordered.

"Belay that order! We are on vacation. And we are staying on vacation." Tetra commanded.

"Aye!" The pirates and Aryll cheered.

"You had better watch yourself, Link. This one seems like a handful." Grandma teased.

So the pirates decided to stay in the area for a while and spend time on land for a change.


	2. I Do

**A/N Hello readers! I would like to start by saying how much I appreciate you reading this even if not many of you have found this book. Special thanks to a certain Guest who was the first to review for their kind words and affirmation. You know who you are and thank you so much! I hope that this extra long chapter is to your liking. Enjoy this next chapter, I Do!**

I Do

"Link! Hurry up and haul that treasure to the hold before I come down there and toss you in there with it! We gotta get it to that orphanage in New Hyrule by next week or they'll go out of business!" Captain Tetra ordered her First Mate, best friend, and boyfriend, Link, as he hauled a large chest full of rupees to the cargo hold with the rest of the treasure. Lately the once infamous pirate crew had become famous and respected by all living on the seven seas for their contributions to society such as finding treasure and giving it to the poor and needy on all of the islands as well as being contracted to help if it involved deliveries through dangerous waters, fighting a horde of sea monsters, or going on quests for people in exchange for money or favors.

"Aye, Cap'n! With the Cyclone Slate we should make it with plenty of time to spare!" Link called up to her from the deck by the cargo hold. He tossed the chest down into the depths and pulled his Wind Waker from his magic satchel. "How about we get a favorable wind to sail on, eh Cap?" Link conducted the Wind's Requiem and commanded the wind to blow North West.

"Aye that's a fine idea, Link! Gonzo, set our heading to 315 degrees! Nudge, cast full sail! I want to feel the sea spray on my skin and the wind in my hair!" She ordered. She hopped onto the bow deck with Link and set her face towards the wind, breathing in the familiar scent of the salty sea.

"Aye, Captain!" Gonzo and Nudge replied enthusiastically. Gonzo set their course and set sail for New Hyrule.

"I've said this to you at least a hundred times or more these past several years you've been with us but this is true sailing. " Tetra said, drinking in the sunlight on her already sun kissed skin. Link knew this but he still couldn't help but smile every time she mentioned it.

"It surely is." Link replied admiring her smile. Even though they had been together for many years now, each and every time she smiled or had that gleam in her eyes whenever she was sailing the open seas, it was a wondrous sight to him and he enjoyed seeing his best friend happy and excited like this. She was more beautiful than any of the flowers that bloomed by the ocean or atop the island peaks. He recalled the first time he described her to Grandma, he said she was like a hurricane out on the ocean. Wild, free, unpredictable, but at the center of it all, she was calm, beautiful, and something all seafarers hoped for if they were to ever encounter such a storm.

"Captain! Looks like another ship with a mess of monsters on it off the starboard bow!" Zuko called from the crow's nest, pointing towards the right of the ship. Link's thoughts were cut short of his reminiscence at this new chance of excitement.

"I see them. Gonzo, starboard to port! Let's give them a broadside volley with our new cannons!" Tetra commanded with a devilish grin. "Link, shoot their bombs mid-flight and then prepare to board them. We're gonna wipe them out and take their loot!"

"Aye! Senza, get the catapult ready! We're about to board them!" Link shouted as he ran to the side of the ship where he kept his magic satchel with his equipment in it. He dug around and took out his cutlass, mirror shield, bow and quiver, and skull hammer, then took aim atop the deck. A volley of bombs came from the ship flying the flag of Ganon's minions but Link expertly shot them all down before they came anywhere near the ship.

"Ready the canons and fire!" Tetra shouted to Niko and Mako below deck. A large cannon volley issued out of the belly of the ship and scored a direct hit on the broadside of the enemy vessel and ripping the sails and mast apart as well. "Link, prepare to board! Senza, I'm going too." She ordered and drew her own cutlass in anticipation of a fight. She gave a sideways one eyed look at Link and a smirk and said "What? I can't let you have all the fun now can I?" She teased as they stepped up onto the catapult. "Fire!" She roared excitedly and they flew high into the sky above the ship. Link grabbed the Skull Hammer from his bag when they were directly above the ship and rocketed downwards to the deck, using all the force he could muster into the hammer strike as he struck the deck sending the horde of enemies flying backwards and even some into the briny sea. Tetra landed beside him moments later. As many times as he had done this kind of thing, it always amazed her how courageous, strong, and pure of heart he was, even without the Triforce of Courage. Then again, that's exactly why she loved him.

"You show off." She punched him in the arm. Three Mothulas emerged from below deck with three club-wielding Stalfos close behind and swarmed the two pirates.

"You get the Mothulas and I'll get the Stalfos. I've got a bone to pick with them." Link chuckled at his own pun.

"Fine but if you make another joke like that, you're walking the plank!" Tetra replied as she deftly dodged all three strikes from the large pig headed enemies and struck two of them down in one blow. Her sword training with Link over the years had clearly paid off. The three Stalfos all raised their clubs and brought them down on Link who blocked with his Mirror Shield and threw the Stalfos back. He spun around using his sword to dismember two Stalfos. An arm landed in front of Link who picked it up and said "Oh come on I thought that was pretty humerus myself." He laughed again at his own joke. Tetra had an annoyed expression but then smirked as she parried a blow from the last Mothula.

"Link, you know what you are? A bone head." Both of them laughed this time. Link equipped his Skull Hammer again and swung it into the side of the Stalfos propelling it into Tetra's Mothula and over the side of the ship. "Hey I wasn't done with him!" Tetra scolded. Link just shrugged apologetically. A swarm of Rats with bombs poured out of the ship and exploded all around Link and Tetra as Link tried to keep them at bay with his arrows. Explosions came from underneath as well causing the ship to start sinking quickly.

"Link, we have to get back to the ship. By the time we get to the treasure, it'll be underwater." Tetra stated.

"Yeah but weight doesn't affect my satchel. I can just go get what I can carry and we can get the rest with the crane later." Link replied as he jumped into the already half submerged cargo hold. He looked around at all the debris and junk. "There's no treasure down here! Just a bunch of old junk." Link called up. The hull of the ship suddenly burst open water gushing rapidly into the hold filling it up almost instantly with the ship sinking faster and faster.

"Link!" Tetra called, scared that she was going to lose her best friend. Her demeanor suddenly changed. "Link if you drown down there I'm going to kill you!" She threatened even though she knew Link couldn't hear her under the water. Link floated about in the water and opened his eyes to see a small copper plate floating in front of his face and several other useless trinkets floating around the cargo hold. Link swam up to the surface, the ship sinking far below into the depths of the sea. He broke the surface and gasped for air, hacking and coughing as he swam towards Tetra.

"You idiot! You could have drowned! What were you thinking?" Tetra demanded as soon as they were back on the ship.

"I was thinking that there would be more treasure that we could distribute among the other orphanages and families we are trying to help. But it turns out that there was nothing but junk down there. Not a single rupee or bit of treasure." Link replied.

"Yeah. They usually have better treasure than just useless trinkets. Maybe next time they'll have better stuff. But that still doesn't excuse you for jumping down into a sinking ship that's already halfway underwater! I know we need to get treasure to help everyone but not when it involves diving into a ship that's already submerged! What good is a hero, First Mate, best friend, and boyfriend if he's at the bottom of the sea? I should have you walk the plank just for that. But then where would we be?" Tetra ranted. She let out a huff and shook her head. "Honestly Link, what am I going to do with you?" Tetra asked with a slight smirk. She sucker punched Link in the gut making him bend over just enough to where his face was level with hers. "That's for doing such a stupid thing like that!" She yelled at him. She then kissed him on his cheek. "And that's for having the courage to do something so stupid for the right reason." She said softly. Link smiled sheepishly and rubbed his cheek. "Gonzo, Nudge, set sail for New Hyrule! We've got a delivery to make." She commanded.

"Thank you pirates so much for helping us and all the others. I only wish we could do more for you but here, take this please as a sign of our gratitude. The kids made them while you were away." The elderly caretaker said handing Tetra and the crew a stack of colored drawings of them as stick figures. Some had the crew sailing, some had them fighting monsters, and some had them in a group with the rest of the orphans and caretaker.

"No need to thank us, Mrs. Caretaker." Tetra replied smiling. "This is something that we all love doing. I was actually an orphan for several years. My mother died while I was young and I was left me in the care of her pirate crew behind me here. Actually, it was all Link's idea. We were originally just going to accumulate a large mass of rupees and treasure until we couldn't hold it all anymore but Link suggested we help others with our skills like we did when we rescued those girls from the Forsaken Fortress all those years ago. If anyone is to thank, it's him." She gestured to Link who just scratched the back of his head.

"It's really not just my idea. It was Tetra's and everybody's. They wanted to help others they just didn't know how." Link replied not one to want attention on himself. "Thank you Mrs. Caretaker. Let us know if there's ever anything else we can do for you out on the open seas. Bye kids! Next time I see you, I want you all to have wonderful families." Link said kneeling and ruffling the hair of a kid with a missing tooth. The pirates were then swarmed in a massive group hug by the kids and even the caretaker.

"Thank you all so much. You are truly the best all of Hyrule has to offer." The caretaker said.

"Thank you. We had better be leaving though. We have a few more stops to make before we can head back home to the Islands." Tetra said, uncomfortable with so much displaying of affection.

"Oh so you all live on the Islands?" The caretaker asked.

"No. We've lived on the ship most of our lives. But we like to think of Outset Island as a place we can return to. A place that is always filled with friendly faces and people who care about us. An island full of family. Right boys?" She asked the crew.

"Aye!" They enthusiastically agreed. They boarded the ship, made their other stops, and headed for Outset Island.

"Hey Link, come up here. You do realize that yours and Miss Tetra's birthdays are coming up around the time we reach Outset Island, yeah?" Gonzo asked him. Link went rigid and the color drained from his face.

"Oh no. That's a week or so away. What day is it today? The eighth? That means hers will be about a week after we get home. I completely forgot to do anything for her with all the treasure we've been gathering. I'm going to have to leave for a couple of days after we get back in order to find something. Maybe Aryll can help." Link thought to himself.

"She's working under one of the Goron traders as an apprentice, yeah?" Gonzo replied. "She should know lots of things you could get for her, yeah? You probably already know this but Tetra doesn't always like to be given big fancy things, yeah. I know the twentieth birthday is a big thing but she doesn't always want to be spoiled, yeah. Maybe just a small necklace, yeah?" He suggested.

"That's a great idea, Gonzo. Thanks." Link thanked him and went about his work.

"Forsaken Fortress coming into view, Captain Tetra!" Zuko shouted from atop the Crow's Nest.

"Aye, Zuko. Link, let's take the cyclone home this time. I want to feel the land beneath my feet again." Tetra told him.

"Aye, one cyclone coming up!" Link replied as he took out his Wind Waker and conducted the Ballade of Gales. Soon they were just off the East coast of Outset Island and weighed anchor.

"Link! Tetra! Boys!" Grandma called from the pier as they rowed up to shore.

"Grandma!" They all yelled as they ran up the beach to her.

"Big Brother! Everyone!" Aryll yelled as she ran out of the house towards them all.

"Hey there Aryll! It's so good to see you again!" Tetra greeted her with open arms as did the rest of the boys.

"Have you all been eating well?" Grandma asked from inside the massive group hug.

"We have, Grandma." Senza answered. "But your cooking is the best."

Ever since they had started calling Outset Island home, the pirates had taken to calling Link's and Aryll's grandmother 'Grandma' as well because she treated them as she would her own bunch of pirate grandkids.

"I'm glad you think so, dearie. Why don't you all wash up and we can have some Elixir Soup and Fish n' Octo Stew? It's my new recipe that I've been trying out." She offered.

"Sure thing Grandma. Then we can tell you all about our adventures and what we've done the past few months we've been gone." Link replied.

"Yeah and he can tell you all about how he almost got himself killed a few days ago too. But that's really no surprise is it?" Tetra teased.

"Well you should know Link has always been one to throw himself into danger if it's to help someone else." Grandma responded. "But Link should also know that if he were to ever do something so foolhardy as to lose his life over treasure, I would never let him hear the end of it in the next world. So you just keep that in mind, my grandchild." She said with a smile. "Now then, go wash up so we can eat." They all washed up and sat down to eat the delicious smelling homecoming meal.

"So Link says, 'We can get the rest later weight doesn't affect my satchel.' Like that's gonna make a difference. The entire hull of the ship broke apart and it sank like a rock. Nearly got himself killed, the idiot." Tetra chuckled.

"I thought there was treasure down there. Most of the ships that we take out do have at least some treasure that we can take back and help others with." Link replied and continued to eat his favorite of all foods, Elixir Soup.

"Well you have to admit it, what he lacks in judgment, he makes up for in courage and purity of heart." Aryll chimed in.

"Yeah." Gonzo agreed. "But then again, he did save the world, helped find an entire new land for people to inhabit, and never thinks about his own safety. Only the safety of others."

"Aye." The crew concurred simultaneously. After everyone had finished eating and cleaned up Link pulled Aryll off to the side.

"Aryll I need your help. I forgot to get Tetra something for her birthday and I've only got a couple of days left to find something. Please tell me you know where to find something special for her." He pleaded. Aryll put her hand on the shoulder of her big brother and looked him in the eye.

"Brother, I would never let you down. Especially not on something like this. Mila has an excellent assortment of wares. I know exactly what you need. Go to Windfall Island, tell her I sent you for a birthday present, she'll know exactly what to do. Better be quick though, Tetra's birthday is right around the corner." She reassured him.

"Thanks, Sis. You're the best! I'm gonna go in the morning right after breakfast so I have plenty of time." He hugged her and walked back to the house to tell Grandma and the pirates about what he had to do the next day.

"Aryll, you gotta help me!" Tetra begged after she ran up to Aryll shortly after Link left. "With us being pirates and everything and being on the same ship, there's not much time or opportunity to make or get stuff for each other's birthdays and I don't have anything to get Link this year! I usually get Senza or Mako to grab something nice from a local stall whenever we make our stops but with all the treasure we've been collecting and donating nonstop I just haven't had the time. Link is always telling me what a great merchant you are and how you have such good ties with the other merchants of the Islands. Please tell me you have something good for me or where to find it. I can usually find something nice but I'm all out of ideas." She uncharacteristically begged. Aryll saw what was about to happen and gave a sly grin much like the kind Tetra would give Link now and then and put her hand on her shoulder.

"Tetra, I would never fail my future bug sister." Tetra blushed at the sound of that. "I know just the place. Go to Greatfish Isle. Tell the Goron, Bimi, I sent you to get Link's present and he'll take care of you." Aryll replied with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks Aryll. You're the best." Tetra thanked her and went back to tell Grandma and the pirates what she had to do the next day who all looked at each other knowingly but didn't let on to Tetra.

"I'm off, Grandma. I'll be back probably tonight or tomorrow." Link called the next day as he shoved off on his now lifeless King of Red Lions boat.

"Where are you going?" Tetra asked, venturing outside shortly afterwards with Gonzo and Senza towards their pirate ship.

"Oh uh I gotta go pick something up for tomorrow night. I'll be back either tonight or tomorrow morning." He replied rather nervously. "Where are you going?"

"Oh uh, I have to go get something for tomorrow night, too. Gonzo and Senza are coming because I need someone to work the sails." Tetra answered equally as nervous. Gonzo nudged Senza with his elbow who fought to maintain a straight face.

"And what exactly is so funny, you two?" The captain demanded.

"Oh it's nothing, captain. Gonzo here was just thinking about how cute the two of you are together." Senza chuckled.

"Yeah well…just….get on the boat already!" Tetra ordered them.

"Aye, captain." Was their reply before they boarded the big pirate ship and left for Greatfish Isle. "We'll be back tomorrow." She called. Link played the Ballade of Gales and Tetra sailed north.

"Aryll, could you get the pictobox from the shelf? If what you told me is true about your merchant friends, those two are going to want a family picture of us all as well as one of them together." Grandma asked.

"Yes ma'am." She climbed up the ladder inside and took the pictobox off the shelf that held several framed photographs of Grandma, Aryll, Link, Tetra, and the pirate crew. Some pictures had the entire population of the island while others had just Grandma and the two grandchildren. Aryll looked at all the memories and smiled fondly at them, recalling each day crystal clear. She then hopped down and set the camera on a shelf.

"Nudge, Mako, Niko, Zuko, would you boys be so kind as to help me make the soup tomorrow?" Grandma requested.

"Yes ma'am!" They all replied in unison.

"Thank you, boys. Now then, let me tell you the plan that I have for tomorrow about Link and Tetra. They won't suspect a thing until after it's all done." Grandma said with her voice lowered.

"''Hoy Link! What brings you here today? It's so good to see you again!" Mila greeted him as he walked up to the grand stall that once belonged to Zunari on Windfall Island.

"Aryll sent me to pick up a birthday gift for my girlfriend, Tetra." He replied.

"Ah yes. The girl Aryll is always talking to me about. You are one lucky guy, Link. And she is one lucky girl. You had better hold on to her because there doesn't seem to be another girl quite like her in all the Great Sea or even in New Hyrule. Let's see if I still have what you're looking for." She reached under the counter to the bottom shelf and pulled out an old box.

"Here you go Link." She said handing him the old and battered box. Link opened it up to find a small golden locket with two places to put a picture in it.

"Wow this is beautiful, Mila. Where did you get it?" Link asked, astounded by the quality and worth the small trinket must have had.

"Honestly, Aryll gave it to me. She said that she had traded with a guy who had come from Zunari's homeland and gave him a fountain idol for it." She explained. "You can ask Lenzo the photographer if he will engrave it for you."

"Wow thanks Mila! You're the best. Well. Second best. I gotta say that my sister is the best. She knows me well enough to have this ready." Link thanked her. "So how much will it be? I know this is very valuable."

"You know, there's a law among us merchants. Never give any of your wares away for free. It's just not good business. So with that being said, for this very valuable item that is obviously very valuable to you, how about we say two rupees?" Mila offered with a grin. Link was dumfounded. No merchant in their right mind would sell something so valuable for so cheap.

"Tha-that's ridiculous! Two rupees? Mila, I can't give you two rupees for something like this." Link stuttered.

"Fine, fine you drive a hard bargain." She put her hands up. "One rupee. But that's my final offer. Take it or leave it, Link." She winked at him.

"Wh-what? No. Mila I can't do that." Link protested.

"Well I'm surely not giving it to you for free. That's just bad business. I tell you what. I give you this locket, you bring me to your party and assure me a seat at your wedding. Deal?" She asked with the same grin.

"What? What wedding? Who said anything about a wedding?" Link spluttered.

"The one you and Tetra will eventually have of course! You two were made for each other! You, the swashbuckling hero who sailed the seas to rescue his sister and slay the evil Ganondorf! She, the cunning and brave pirate who is actually a princess yet will always be a pirate at heart who helped you save the Great Sea from evil! Of course you're going to get married! You'd be a fool not to, Link! Plus Aryll would never let you hear the end of it." She ranted.

"I mean of course I want to marry her there's no question about that it's just…what if she doesn't want to? I know she said she'd want to settle down eventually but what if I spook her popping the question right now?" Link trailed off at the end.

"Link," Mila said softly. "Get it together and go ask her!" She yelled. "You are a good looking hero who means the world to her and you should know this. You are a caring, loving, incredible guy that keeps selling himself short like a merchant selling diamonds for a single rupee! You think you're not as good as you are and you are wrong about that! Can't you see how much she wants to be with you? Why would she not want to be with you? All those monsters you faced down and traps you bested? That wasn't the Triforce of Courage that was you. And you don't need it to ask her this. You don't need it to be amazing because you already are. Now go get that locket engraved." Mila ordered.

"Thanks Mila. I really owe you one." Link replied.

"Yeah, yeah. You can repay me by marrying this girl." She rolled her eyes.

"Ah, Link! My old apprentice! Have you been taking plenty of pictures while you were away?" Lenzo asked with clasped hands.

"Yeah I did but the thing is, the film got wet and ruined in the saltwater. Plus I was trying to take a picture of a giant monster like you've never seen before but I was hit and the Pictobox broke. Sorry about that." Link rubbed the back of his neck.

"No matter. As long as you're trying to go out and take them! So what can I do for you today?" He asked.

"Oh Mila said that you could engrave something on this locket for me? It's for my girlfriend Tetra." Link answered.

"Oh yes, yes I certainly can, my dear boy. And what would you like engraved onto it?" He leaned towards him awaiting eagerly his answer.

"I don't want anything cheesy such as 'My Princess'. She's not one that likes that very much. How about 'T&L'? Our initials." He suggested.

"That's a fine idea, my boy. Just hand it to me and I will have it ready in just a moment." He grabbed the locket and begun to work on it using a heated metal pen from the back and in moments he was done. "Here you go, my young apprentice. Your item has now become a treasure. One which will be seen as almost as priceless as you are by one of the greatest pirates of today. You'd do well to keep her close by your side." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"I certainly plan on it." Link replied. "How much do I owe you?"

"You owe me a picture of you, Miss Tetra, and at least one child, all together. That's what you owe me. Now run along. I'm sure you have work to do. Give the family my regards. And do hold on to her, Link. I made the mistake of letting the love of my life go in the past. That's a decision I have forever regretted. Do me proud, Link." He shooed Link out of the store and onto the street of Windfall Island.

"Will do." Link said to himself.

"Hello?" Tetra called out on the still ruined Greatfish Isle. "Goron Bimi? Aryll told me I could find you here and you would help me out." A large Goron with an even larger faded green bag looking weather worn approached her.

"I am Goron Bimi. You say Aryll sent you? How has she been doing? I know she's been working with all the Gorons and merchants in the Islands area but I haven't seen her in a while." Bimi spoke.

"Oh um she's doing great. She's on Outset Island right now. She sent me to you to get a gift for my uh, boyfriend Link." Tetra answered him.

"Ah then you have certainly come to the right place. I have just the thing for you." He reached into his massive bag and after a little bit of digging, pulled out a small golden locket with two places to put a picture in it. "I traded an Exotic Flower for this beautiful locket. Do you have anything to trade?" The giant asked.

"I have this." She held out a Skull Necklace for him to look over.

"Where did you get this?" The Goron inquired, looking at the somewhat dark looking necklace from every angle.

"I got it from a Mothula. They are large monsters that came here during the fight against Ganondorf. They are big, brutish, and not very smart but their sense of smell makes them as much a threat as it would if you were to go up against one unarmed. It takes skill to take one down with a sword." Tetra answered, trying to throw her sales pitch of it.

"I see. Very well. I'll take it. And in return, I'll give you this locket. But you have to give me your word that you'll bring me shipments of these for as long as you can. I would like to start selling these and possibly even make these to get them into circulation among the other merchants and traders I do business with. Plus you'll get 25% of the profit for being the supplier. Does that sound acceptable?" He asked.

"It does. Pleasure doing business with you, Goron Bimi." She shook his hand, sealing the transaction.

"Gonzo, Senza, bring all the Skull Necklaces we have in the hold and give them to this Goron." Tetra told them.

"Aye." They responded as they started unloading numerous crates of the item out onto the island.

"Oh by the way, Miss, if you would like to have that locket engraved, I will gladly do it for free. Would you be interested in that?" The Goron offered.

"Yes I would. Let's see. Link has always been a little cheesy when it comes to this kind of stuff. He'd probably like something like 'My Hero' or something. Yeah. I think he'd like that. After all, in more than one way, he is my hero." She handed the Goron the locket and he gathered some dead grass and pieces of wood for a fire.

"We Gorons are made of rock in case you couldn't tell." He took out a small metal rod no thicker around than the hollow shaft of a feather. He struck along the top of his hand using his other hand creating sparks that soon ignited the small brush fire. He placed one end of the small metal engraver into the fire until it glowed red. Carefully, he engraved the words 'My Hero' into the back of the small golden locket with surprising dexterity considering his massive hands. He finished his skillful work and handed the locket back to the pirate captain.

"Thank you, Bimi. We'll keep delivering Skull necklaces to you in the future." Tetra thanked as they sailed back towards Outset Island.

"What kind of spyglass do you use for looking through, Miss Aryll?" Zuko asked the younger girl as they were watching for signs of Link and Tetra on the horizon from atop the lookout tower.

"Oh I have this one. I bought it with the money I got for helping Beedle and some of the Outsetters here when I was young. It would have been before Link went off to save the world because the day I gave him my telescope, actually moments after I gave him my telescope, Tetra fell into the forest up on top of the island across from where your guest houses are now. What kind do you use?" She asked.

"I use this one that I got from my father who used it while he was the lookout for Captain Tetra's mother, the former captain of the ship. Same with all of our fathers. We are a second generation pirate crew I guess you could say. But it's gotten cracked and its usefulness has dwindled since its prime. Mind you it's still one of the best ever made but I can't help but think that there's just one that is better, you know?" He replied.

"I'm sure Beedle and his many shop ships have a spyglass of your caliber there. He knows me and he loves new customers. New customers mean more business. He takes good care of his customers. There's one guy with a plate helmet north of Greatfish Isle who claims to not be Beedle even though he looks like him. He has rare items for sale for a hefty price. If you have a large amount of spoils from battle or findings, you should go see him." Aryll informed him.

"Thank you, Miss Aryll. I greatly appreciate the information. In all our years of travel, I have not once had the chance to visit nor the knowledge of this masked shop ship owner." He suddenly saw a ship coming from the north. "Hey I think I see Captain Tetra."

"And I see Link to the east! What impeccable timing those two have. Let's go get ready!" Aryll squealed. She slid down the ladder and ran full speed to tell everyone that the celebrations would soon commence.

"Big Brother! Big Sister!" Aryll called out as soon as they had landed on the shore of their home island. "Come on! Quickly inside! Everyone is waiting!" Aryll could barely contain her excitement as she physically pushed them towards the house, the two holding their wrapped presents in their hands.

"Happy birthday Link and Tetra!" The inhabitants of the peaceful island very much including Tetra's pirate crew cheered once the couple and Aryll made it inside.

"Thank you so much, Grandma." Link thanked and hugged her.

"Thank you, Grandma." Tetra also thanked and hugged her.

"It's quite alright, children. It's time to open the presents though so let's get to it!" Grandma replied enthusiastically. Over the years, with all the visits from her adoptive grandchildren, she had been feeling more youthful than when Link's journey had just begun. She was feeling more energetic and better able to take care of herself as well as help out around the small village. Aryll, Link, Grandma and the pirates gathered up in the living room that they all helped build two years ago onto the side of the small house.

"We thought that you would look and feel more like a true pirate if you were to have clothes in a style more like ours, yeah." Gonzo stepped up and held out a green cotton shirt that split at the top of the front just under the chin but was held together with two X ties made of string. On top of the shirt was a long green bandanna made to look like Link's long green hat. In Gonzo's other hand, was a pair of long white cotton pants. All these were tailored precisely to Link's muscular body as he had been outgrowing his old Hero's tunic and been having to borrow clothes from the rest of the crew.

"Thank you so much guys! These are great! I'm going to go change into them." He took the clothes and went to the wash room and changed. Moments later, he emerged looking every bit the pirate that he had been for years, clad in green bandanna, pirate shirt, and long pants.

"It certainly is an improvement." Tetra rubbed her chin and eyed him amusedly with a slight grin. "Good job, boys."

"Thank you, Captain. It was a collective effort." Niko spoke up.

"Aye." The rest of the crew agreed.

"From me," Aryll corralled everyone together around Link with Tetra standing beside him, set the timer on the Pictobox and scurried back to her spot for the family photo. The Pictobox went off three times. Once for Link's present, and twice for the lockets. Once the photo had slid out of the slot on the Pictobox, she put it inside a mahogany frame and gave it to Link. "A picture of your family and friends placed nicely in a frame for you to set on your dresser or whatever furniture you have on your ship."

"Thanks Aryll. This means so much to me." He hugged his sister. "But what are the two other pictures for?" He asked confused.

"You'll see in just a second just be patient." She replied.

"To be honest, I had no idea what I was going to do for your birthday Link. Aryll saved the day and told me to go to a merchant friend of hers and get you this." Tetra held out a small golden locket with an engraving on it that said "My Hero" on the back. Link wore a very puzzled expression on his face at the sight of a second golden locket. "Well what's the matter Link? Do you not like it?" Tetra asked starting to get frustrated with her boyfriend.  
"No, no it's nothing like that I absolutely love it it's just.." He smiled rather sheepishly and took out his locket that he had gotten for her to see. "I got you one too." She saw their initials on the back of the locket. "It would appear that Aryll set this whole thing up. Isn't that right, Aryll?" Link turned to his sister who just smiled in satisfaction.

"What can I say? I'm the best sister ever." She shrugged with her hands.

"I love it Link. Happy birthday." Tetra said and gave him a hug and they put their pictures in the lockets.

"Last but not least, is my gift to you, Link." Grandma retrieved a sword that looked worse from wear but still in good shape from where the family shield use to be and climbed back down to Link. "This is the sword that your grandfather gave your father. Your father would be giving it to you now but as we know, he and your mother went off in search of new lands for us islanders to become prosperous on and thrive on yet never returned. Link," Grandma said quietly. "Your father would be so proud of you. Your mother too. You have grown to be big and strong just like your father, kind and caring as well. Such a handsome young man he was when he was your age. And while we're on the subject, your mother would be overjoyed with you, Aryll. She was actually the one who brought Beedle out here and learned from him. You both are following exactly in your parents' footsteps and wherever they are, the only one who is any prouder of you than them, is me." The siblings and Grandma engaged in a teary-eyed embrace for a few moments before wiping their eyes and getting back to the celebrations.

"This sword is the one that your great-grandfather, my father-in-law, gave to your grandfather when he met me. He gave it to your father when he met your mother. And now, he would want me to give it to you, Link." She handed him a blue hilted, slightly damaged looking sword with carvings along both sides of the blade and a plain metal scabbard. He slowly took it from her hands and then looked at Tetra who couldn't decide how to react to the current situation. He gave her a warm smile and removed the blade from its scabbard and it glimmered as it caught the threads of sunlight on its edge. Tetra smiled fondly back at Link as he admired the symbolic sword he held in his hands.

"Thank you, Grandma. This means the world to me." Link hugged her and slid the sword back into the scabbard. Niko scratched his head in confusion.

"I don't get it. What's the big deal about an ugly looking sword?" He whispered to Zuko who shrugged.

"The big deal" Link said walking over to Tetra. "Is that there are families who adhere to a certain ancient tradition. A special sword of some sentimental value is passed down by the father to either the son or the daughter if he doesn't have a son whenever the son or daughter finds their future spouse. The two of them then carve a shield out of wood or forge one out of metal to signify that they will defend each other as well as their family with the shield and oppose all who would seek to hurt them with the sword. The reason it is passed down is because should the need ever arise, when the man draws that sword, the fathers that the sword was passed down through draw it with him. And when the mother defends her loved ones with the shield, the two form a team with clear intent and unwavering resolve to protect each other and their children." He finished and looked at Tetra who stood amazed at the tradition and more than happy at what Link holding his father's sword meant for her.

"That's some tradition." Gonzo stated.

"Aye.." Nudge replied.

"Wait." Senza cut in. "How does the guy ask the girl to marry him?" He asked innocently. Link held the end of the scabbard in his left hand.

"Well if I remember correctly, it goes like this." Link's forehead started perspiring. He got down on one knee and held the hilt out towards Tetra.

"Link what are you doing?" Tetra asked nervously although she knew well what was going on.

"The man must kneel, hold the sword in the scabbard like this, and ask the woman he will devote his life to equally with his children if she will agree to go on life's greatest adventure with him. Tetra, my dear captain, princess, and best friend, will you embark on life's greatest adventure with me? To sail the seas of the great unknown together, to defend each other and our children from this point forward? I can't promise that I will never lead you astray or never bring a tear to your eye. But I will promise to do all in my power to love you unconditionally, whole-heartedly, and the only other women that I will love will be my grandmother, my sister, and our daughters if we have any. So what do you say, Tet? You ready for an adventure?" Link asked, his heart breaking every speed record in anticipation for an answer. Tetra sighed an exasperated sigh.

"An idiot." She said to herself. "I'm going to marry a sappy, good looking, incredible, loveable idiot." She grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of the scabbard. "Of course I am, Link." She replied tenderly. Link shot up as he pushed the sword's sheath back onto it and picked Tetra up in a hug tighter than a Re-Dead's death hold.

"She said yes!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "She said yes!" He cheered again as he spun her around and around and kissed her. The entire island population, who had come out to see what all the commotion was, cheered with Link in this glorious occasion.

Two weeks later, atop the island peak, Link was sweating nervously. He wore an undershirt under his long white short-sleeve shirt and long white pants with gold trim, all of which he was given by Zunari. In his mind, the only thought that occupied Link's mind was 'What if I'm not good enough to be a husband and father?' That singular thought filled every corner of his mind and cast a fog of doubt over his bright confidence. But from deep within that fog, the thought of raising a family and spending the rest of his life with Tetra, created a spark of confidence and joy that turned into a burning light of resolute determination to be the very best for her and the family that they planned to raise. He gripped the sword in his hand and rolled his shoulders back, ready to take the next step of his life. In front of him, sat all the Koroks, all, the Rito Tribe, Grandma, Joel, who had been taking lessons from Orca in swordplay, Orca, who had reconciled with his brother Sturgeon, Sturgeon, who had also reconciled with Orca, Zill, who had finally wiped his nose and kept it clean, along with all the rest of the inhabitants of Outset Island. There were also Mila, Beedle, and the pirates. Medli and Makar, who begged Link to let them play at his wedding, sat behind him on the raised ground with Aryll, who learned how to conduct using the Wind Waker from Link for the wedding. A teary-eyed Gonzo walked up the hill with Tetra who wore a long white dress that parted on the sides at the knee and came up to just below her shoulders while still maintaining modesty. She had the same kind of flower that Link gave to her in her hair and she merely winked at Link who, when he saw her, became stunned at the beautiful sight walking up the hill towards him. Aryll, Medli, and Makar stood up and began to play a slow march as Gonzo took his seat trying to keep it together and Tetra walked down the aisle. The Rito and Koroks joined in by singing. The Rito sang lead while the Koroks harmonized. When she stood next to Link, Aryll ended the music and took her seat. Zunari rose and took his place in front of them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today as witnesses to these two young heroes whose stories are very much different from each other. One, the heroic young boy who set out to save his sister from the Forsaken Fortress and then had the mantle of hero thrust upon him as his destiny was to slay Ganon and restore peace to the Great Sea. The other, a princess of a world long gone and she had no idea. But it was also her destiny to help Link defeat that shadowy fellow and so they did. Now, their destiny is a mystery, but a mystery they shall experience together! So without any further delay, Link, do you have the golden arm band that serves as proof that the vows you will make to Miss Tetra today will be kept?" Zunari asked from atop his small box.

"I do." Link answered proudly. He motioned to Niko to bring him the symbolic item. Link took it and placed it on Tetra's left arm.

"Miss Tetra, do you have the golden arm band that serves as proof that the vows you make to Link today will be kept?" He asked her.

"I do." She replied just as proudly and looked at Link beside her. She motioned to Aryll for her to bring the other arm band. She took it and placed it on Link's left arm and they took each other's hands.

"Very good! Now, Link, do you take Miss Tetra to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to hold, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, to support and provide for her, to always be faithful, and protect her with your very life, until death do you part?" Zunari asked him.

"I do." His mind drifted towards the near and very possible future of them living together at the cabana while they weren't sailing. He looked into her eyes and gave her a grin.

"Excellent! Now, Miss Tetra, do you take Link to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to hold, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, to always be faithful to, to support him, and protect him with your life as he protects you, until death do you part?" He asked her.

"I do." She smiled and winked at him.

"Marvelous!" Zunari exclaimed. "Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife! Link, you may now kiss the bride." Zunari giggled in glee at the newlywed couple. Link pulled Tetra by her hands and kissed her warmly. After they broke the kiss, they turned and faced the cheering crowd. Gonzo was using a tissue to wipe his saltwatery eyes, Grandma was crying tears of joy and happiness, and Zunari was crying for no apparent reason.

"Zunari, I get why Gonzo and Grandma are crying, but why are you crying?" Aryll asked the short statured man.

"Oh, my dear, I cannot help it. I always get this way at weddings. Always have. Even my own." He replied.

"I didn't know you were married." Aryll chuckled at the thought of a short statured woman just like Zunari helping him with his shop back home.

"Oh yes, yes, dear child. I have a marvelous wife that I met after returning home. The ceremony was wonderful. But it was not quite as wonderful as this one. Now, my dear merchant, I believe it is time for the after party is it not?" He beamed at the young couple. Aryll nodded excitedly and called Makar and Medli up. She conducted in 6/8 time, Medli readied her harp, Makar readied his violin, Senza readied his hand drum, Nudge readied his flute, and they played Earth God's Lyric and Wind God's Aria in unison as the non-instrumentalists danced and Link swung his beautiful wife around. This went on for what seemed like an eternity until the sun final began to set and painted a beautiful swash of golden orange rays along the trees and the clouds became an incredible shade that could only be found naturally at the rising or setting of the Sun. Link took Tetra's hand and intertwined his fingers with hers as they stood at the edge of the cliff facing the setting glowing orb. Aryll saw the opportunity and quickly grabbed her pictobox which held a colorful firefly in it and ran over behind her big brother and new big sister.

"Hey love birds! Turn around and smile!" Aryll called out to them. They turned and smiled, still holding each other's hand and stood shoulder to shoulder. "Perfect!" Aryll took the picture three times. Once for them, once for the Pirates, and once for her and Grandma.

"Absolutely perfect." Link whispered to Tetra and gave her a wink and a grin.

"You sure are, you cheesy loser." She replied and kissed him.

"Yeah but that's why you love me." Link chuckled.

"No it's not. I love you because you're brave, kind, a protector of the weak, and will always do what needs to be done if it's to protect or save those you love and care about, even at the expense of your own life. But those are just some of the things. The other things you'll just have to figure out on your own I guess. You're pretty good at puzzles right?" She teased.

"True. But you'll never be able to guess why I love you." He poked her forehead.

"Knowing you it's probably something cheesy isn't it?" She poked him back.

"I love you because even though when we first met, you acted bossy, selfish, rude, you were only in it for yourself and your crew, but I knew that under all of that, you were kind by the way you helped me save my sister and everyone, courageous and selfless by the way you helped me fight Ganon that first time, and all the rest you'll just have to figure out, Miss Triforce of Wisdom." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"I knew it'd be something cheesy. But that's just one small thing I enjoy about you. Hey look at that." She pointed over towards the west at the incredible sunset that had only waxed more incredible over time.

"Wow…" Link breathed, caught off guard by the beauty and color coupled with the heightened emotions of the day. His misty eyes were not unnoticed by his wife.

"Link are you crying?" Tetra asked starting to get concerned over his strange behavior.

"Yeah." He wiped his eyes on his arm. "I was just thinking how I will be able to enjoy this amount of beauty every single day of my life with you. And even if the sun never rose again after it sets today, the world would still be full of beauty." He rested his head against hers and closed his eyes. Tetra began to blush and smiled at him.

"Link," She chuckled softly. "Oh Link what am I ever going to do with you?" She asked rhetorically.

"How about this?" He kissed her lips tenderly in the final glow of the most perfect sunset to ever exist.

"At least you're a smooth idiot. I could get use to that." She rolled her eyes and kissed him back. And as they kissed, the final light of the day faded away into the starry night as they began their journey on life's greatest adventure.

To Be Continued

 **A/N The wedding scene was based on the cover photo drawn by BeagleTsuin on deviant art. I suggest you check her work out as it is very good and full of cute TetLink. Also mature content so just watch yourselves. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Storm

**A/N: Hey everybody I am so excited to finally have this chapter out! I was originally going to have this and the next part in one chapter but I figured I would just publish this part tonight for you all since you have all waited for let's see...over a year now. Yeah. Sorry about that. Honestly though I likely would have never gotten around to it if a certain Guest had not left that amazing review and requesting another chapter. Thank you for giving me that push to finally do this. And thank you to all my readers and followers for not giving up on me and for waiting so patiently! Now without further ado, I give you Sailing on the Winds of Love Chapter 3: Storm!**

Storm

"Link!" Tetra called out from the cabana doorway. "It's time for supper! Hurry up and get in here before it gets cold!"

"Coming!" Link yelled back in response. He had been busy constructing a lookout tower on the peninsula of their small island where their cabana was for their two tiny three-year-old twins. Link hoped for a son who could follow in his footsteps as a strong hero who would help others in his journeys. Tetra hoped for a daughter, smart and ambitious in all she did. Exactly like her. But the one thing that the two adventurers didn't want for their children, was to have to go through the same bloodshed and nightmares that they had had to face during their own childhood. No parent would wish that upon their children. They wanted their children to grow up not just as seafarers, but also smart, hardworking, and fearless. Link climbed down the ladder from the perch where the lookout tower was nearly complete and headed inside.

"Hey, Tetra, let's eat outside tonight. It's the perfect night for it. Stars are out, the moon is gone tonight, and Niko tells me there's supposed to be a meteor shower according to the star charts." Link suggested as he hoisted their son, Inoh, onto his shoulders, grabbed a plate with two tuna fish sandwiches on it then headed out the door with Tetra carrying their daughter, Ianu, on her hip also with a plate of tuna sandwiches on it. They sat out under the stars with their feet dangling in the pool that had a small table and candle in the middle of it.

"This is nice, Link." Tetra stated. "I can't remember the last time we did this."

"Yeah." Link replied, taking a bite out of his sandwich and tearing off a piece for Inoh. They sat there for a few minutes in silence admiring the night sky and listening to the soothing lullaby of the ocean. Inoh was taking in the stars when he was filled with wonder by a shooting star. He bolted upright and tugged on his father's arm.

"Daddy Daddy what's that?" He asked pointing a small finger into the sky where he saw the spectacle.

"Those are stars, son. They're very-"

"No! I saw, I saw it go WOOOSH!" He traced the path of the shooting star with his hand as he made the sound effect.

"That's a shooting star, Inoh. Hold on for a couple minutes and you'll see many, many more tonight." Link responded.

"But how did it get up there?" Inoh inquired.

"Well, when-"

"Mommy where did the moon go?" Ianu asked tugging on Tetra's shirt.

"Well the moon is hiding tonight because once every so often, it goes to be with her brother, the Sun because the rest of the time, she's giving some light to us at night while the Sun gives his light during the day." Tetra replied.

"But why does it look different sometimes?" The small blonde asked again.

"Because, Ianu. Every night the moon gives off her light, there's only a certain amount she can give us. And when it's all used up, she goes away for a few days to get some from her brother who has more light than he knows what to do with. And after that, she comes back to restart the cycle all over again." Link explained.

"Daddy look! Lots of shooting stars!" He directed a finger towards the western sky as hundreds upon hundreds of shooting stars filled the sky and cast their light down upon the earth giving a glow to the water, land, and all their inhabitants.

"Make a wish son. They say that shooting stars are remnants of what the goddesses used to create the Triforce. And that if you are pure of heart, your wish will come true." He pulled his son up onto his lap.

"Wow! Well I wish for…" Inoh scratched his head and furrowed his brow in thought before his face lit up. "I wish to ride the boat with you and Mommy next time you go with Uncle Gonzo and Uncle Senza and them! I want to play with Uncle Niko again!" The young boy giggled at the memory of the last time he got to play with Uncle Niko. The two of them were in the cargo hold much like when Link was aboard for the first time except this time with supervision. "Swing Uncle Niko!" The small child cried. Inoh was strapped to Niko's back as Niko was attempting to complete the platform puzzle, safety net included. Tetra, while she didn't want the hard pirate life for her daughter, was teaching Ianu how to steer a ship and call out orders like a pirate captain would.

"Raise anchor! Full sail! Port to starboard! Bow to dinghy! I want to feel the wind at my back!" Ianu shouted with glee from under the pirate captain's hat that covered her eyes as she moved the wheel with Senza. She had picked up on several commands and terminology from her mother and even her catch phrase.

"You heard her, Senza, away anchor and full sail. Let's sail around the island for a little while, see If the kids have their sea legs yet. We want to feel the wind at our backs." The pirate captain commanded from behind Gonzo.

"Aye. Away anchor and full sail! Let's take her for a swim boys!" Senza bellowed to the crew, who cheered and set off to fulfill the orders for their small captain.

Under the celestial shower, Ianu wondered what to wish for. Realization struck her suddenly.

"I wish to be an adventuring sea captain like you two! I want to help everyone in the whole world like you, Mommy and Daddy." Ianu stood up and walked over to Inoh on the table and looked him in the eye. "We're going to help everyone in the world, got that?" She put her hands on her hips.

"But there's gotta be at least.." Inoh protested while counting his tiny chubby fingers. "Fifty people!" Ianu grabbed his face with her chubby hands.

"Everyone." She gave Inoh the most serious look she could muster. "We are going to help everyone. Just like Mommy and Daddy."

"Okay sis. But how?" The small boy asked his suddenly determined sister who mimicked her mother's devilish grin and sideways stare.

"You just leave that to me." Was her reply. Meanwhile, Tetra wasn't sure whether to be extremely impressed and proud of her daughter or slightly amused at just how much the twins take after their parents.

"Oh no. " Link fake groaned. "Now there's two of you, Tet. I don't know if the world can handle another one of you. Let alone me! Haha!"

"You little barnacle!" Tetra shouted with a playful grin. "You're gonna walk the plank for that!" She got up and chased him around the island laughing all the way like they did when they were kids with the twins in tow. Link tripped on a rock causing the little game to end in a large heap upon the ground where Link and Tetra let the kids lay in their arms to watch the remainder of the celestial spectacle.

"Daddy, where do shooting stars come from?" Inoh asked trying to look at Link without having to move around.

"Well, that's a good question, son. They say that the reason they fly across the sky like this is from the Great Fairy Queen, the Great Fairies, and all the little fairies in this world go to the realm of the Great Fairy Queen every so often to replenish their power and gather more fairies if they need to. You see, back on Outset Island, where Great Grandma, Aunt Aryll, and everyone else are, there's a Great Fairy that lives in the forest on part of the island. Do you remember me telling you about her in my stories? The one that helped me on my journey to save Aunt Aryll and the rest of the world? I actually met your mother in that forest. Isn't that right, Tetra? She got stuck in a tree because of this giant crazy bird. Naturally I ran into the forest, fought tons of bad guys, and caught her before she hit the ground." Link rambled.

"That's not how I remember it, Link. While yes you did fight maybe five or six small enemies below me, you most certainly did not catch me. I fell on top of you. I was surprised I didn't break your neck falling from that height. Oh yeah kids do you know what the first thing that your father did when Aunt Aryll first got kidnapped by that giant bird?" Tetra inquired with a sly grin on her face.

"What?" They both asked enthused.

"He drew his sword and jumped OFF THE CLIFF after the thing! I just barely caught onto him before he went over. The things your father did as a kid. The things he does now! Kids, if either one of you grow to be half the kind of person that your father is, promise me that you'll keep someone like me close by to catch you before you go jumping off a cliff. Your father doesn't think before he acts to be honest. He just leaps into battle with all his might and doesn't even think about his own safety. Only the safety of others." Her expression and tone softened at the last sentence. "But that's why I love your father. Among other reasons. He makes for a good thing to put into a catapult too." She chuckled lightly elbowing Link in the side.

"Haha I bet you would have made good catapult ammo too if you had gotten in the barrel." Link elbowed her back right as the meteor shower ended. "Alright kids. Time to hit the sack. Get ready for bed and then we'll tuck you in before your bed time story."

"Okay Dad. Can you tell us the one about the big bad worm in the lava on the bird people island?" Ianu pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

"That sounds like a great idea. You two hurry on to bed and I'll be in there in a few moments. Run along." He replied shooing them off.

"Tonight was really nice, Link. We really should eat under the stars more often. Oh we should take the kids out on a trip with us sometime. I think it's about time they get their sea legs. If they're going to be brave adventurers, they're going to need to learn how to steer a ship, tie ropes, and everything else on a ship." Tetra mentioned.

"I agree. I want to see them know a ship and its duties like the backs of their hands when they get to be the age we were when we went off on our…" Link trailed off and sniffed the salty sea air. "Hey Tet, you smell that?" He stood up and followed the small towards the source. "Smells like…" He inhaled deeply through his nose until he recognized what the familiar scent was. "Chu Jelly!" He yelled. Tetra jumped up and tossed a large stone to Link who stunned it repeatedly. "Toss me your sword my satchel's in the house!" Tetra ran to the door and snatched her sword from inside the doorway and tossed it towards Link who jumped up and sliced the Chu Jelly in half. As the dark mist faded away, Tetra ran inside to make sure the twins were safe.

"What was that noise?" Ianu inquired walking outside with her brother and mother.

"Oh it was nothing. Hey how about we take a trip to Great Grandma's and Aunt Aryll's tonight? It'll be like a sleepover with them. Come on grab a change of clothes and we'll sail right on over. You can ask the Uncle Pirates to tell you one of their stories before going to bed if they're still awake when we get there." Link suggested sending a slightly nervous glance towards his wife who returned a puzzled look but agreed and shuffled the two tiny tots into the house and then to the boat with their pillows and a pair of clothes.

"Link, how did a Chu Jelly get onto our island?" Tetra demanded in a hushed tone as they sailed West to Outset Island while the kids slept in the boat.

"I don't know. But I don't like it. I'm going to send Medli and Komali out to New Hyrule in the morning for an errand. My gut tells me that something is on the way. I don't know when but sometime in the future, something bad is coming. I think we should get back out on the ocean for a while. Train and hone our combat abilities and make sure we're in peak physical condition if we need to be. The kids can stay with Grandma for a few weeks or we can take them with us and start teaching them ship smarts. What do you say?" He was really hoping he was wrong but he couldn't shake this feeling he had. It was like the feeling you get when you know something is out there lurking about but you don't know where or what it is.

"If we're going to head out and face danger, the twins should stay with Grandma and Aryll. I don't want them to be in the thick of it just yet. How long do you expect us to be gone? I don't want to be away from them for long." She replied.

"I heard from a sailor on Windfall that there was a cave full of evil creatures a few knots west of Horseshoe. Kind of like the trial I had to face underneath Outset to get that one Triforce Chart. I need to go there and defeat them all so that I know I can still protect my family and defeat whatever it is coming our way." Link stated, looking down at a clenched fist. Tetra's hand moved gently over his fist and opened it to intertwine her fingers into his.

"We're in this together, Link. No more saving the world on your own. We're a family, I'm your wife, for better or for worse remember? You don't have to put the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore. We'll do this together." She said softly as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm your shield remember? Come on. Whatever this big evil thing that you're sensing is, it'll have to get through me, you, the crew, Aryll, heck even Grandma and the old guys can put up a fight now and then. This evil creature will have a reckoning if it ever rears its ugly head in these waters. These are our waters. And we will protect them. Just like we always have. Now let's get to Outset already. I'm tired and am ready to go to bed so do your thing slowpoke." Tetra wrapped her arms around him as he conducted the Ballad of Gales and flew to Outset Island's shores.

Months later, after Link had sent Medli and Prince Komali on some preparatory errands to New Hyrule, Doc Bandam traveled to Outset Island in search of Link with grave news.

"Hello, do you know where I might can find Link? I have grave news and must talk to him." Doc Bandam asked Zuko.

"I think he's at his house. It's E5 on the Map of the Islands." Senza said. "There was another monster sighting in the waters around there so he's trying to build fortifications on his island to prevent any harm to his family. It's strange though. There haven't been any sightings around here since Ganon's time."

"That's what I need to talk to him about! I've been traveling trying to study the many Chu Jellies on the different islands. Their numbers are growing and I have been seeing more and more of those ships with Moblins and Mothulas on them. They're all coming from the north too! Windfall Island is in trouble. Mila and the Killer bees are trying to defend them with the sailors and the bomb maker but they're running out of time. I have to tell him!" The scientist implored.

"Alright come on then I'll meet you at the ship. I gotta go round up the crew before we can shove off." He instructed pointing towards the large ship anchored near the shore. Senza ran to find the rest of his crewmates helping Aryll load up some supplies for Windfall Island.

"You can't go to Windfall, Miss Aryll. It's under attack! I need the crew to come with me and get Link and Miss Tetra so we can go help them." He explained.

"Well I'm coming with you then. Those people are my friends too after all." Aryll put the box of items she was carrying on the floor.

"No Miss Aryll, I can't allow you to go with us on this dangerous mis-" The large pirate attempted to protest.

"Dangerous? Oh well in that case I guess I should just stay home then shouldn't I, Senza? After all, I am just a trader and it's not like my brother is some great hero or anything isn't it, Senza?" Aryll retorted sarcastically with a small playful smile on her face unable to keep a straight face. Senza went to open his mouth but ended up sighing and closing it back before he stuck his other foot in his mouth too.

"You're right, Miss Aryll. I've shown you how to arm and fire the catapult many times before. You're as much one of the crew as your brother or any of the rest of us are. I apologize. Come on. We can get load your wares after we rescue Windfall. All aboard men! We make for Link's house and then for Windfall! Arm the cannons we sail into battle!" He commanded as everyone set aside their crates of items and sprinted to the large ship to set sail for Link's Oasis.

"Land ho!" Zuko called from atop his crow's nest. "And it looks like Link and Tetra are in some trouble! Enemies on shore trying to surround the house! There's one behind the house about to get in through the back window of the twins' room and the captain is out helping Link ward off the enemies! The twins aren't going to make it if we don't do something." Silence filled the ship as everyone was filled with paralyzing fear for their extended family.

"Launch me." Gonzo said quietly as if in a trance.

"What?" Nudge asked incredulously although he already knew it was the only way.

"I said launch me!" Gonzo bellowed. "Now! Niko, sword! Mako, calculate trajectory and fire me, then give the enemies on shore a full volley from the broadside! Now!" Niko flung Gonzo's sword to him and off Gonzo flew like an eagle taking flight, preparing to descend upon his prey.

"Nudge, take the wheel! Zuko and Niko, get below decks and ready the cannons! Mako, fire me. Gonzo's going to need some help covering our family's backs. Move, move, move!" The giant of a pirate, who had continued to grow over the years, stuck his sword between his teeth and was launched, following Gonzo's example of literally flying into danger when others were in trouble. The two crashed through the ceiling of the twins' bedroom and onto their beds despite all odds surviving the fall. A small Moblin and Mothula had the two small children in their clutches as the two large pirates made their way to their feet. Gonzo raised his sword and let loose a mighty battle cry before he and Senza charged the two monsters back through the aperture freeing their captives.

"No one's getting to these kids! While I still have breath in my body, none shall pass!" Senza swore as he tackled the Mothula back to the ground before running it through with his sabre. He picked the spear up and threw it through two Moblins trying to get through the window while Gonzo's back was turned as he faced three Moblins at once.

"Aye! We will never allow you monsters to lay a claw on these precious little munchkins! You'll have to go through us first! And even if we go down, by the gods we are taking every last one of you with us! Yeah!" Senza roared as he bum rushed into four more Moblins, sending them flying into the briny sea.

"Hey Link! Captain! We're with you! They almost got to the kids but we sent them back to the darkness! Senza called out to the others on the other side of the house.

"Great! I have no idea where all these monsters came from but I sure know where they're headed! Back to the darkness with you, shark bait! Return to the vile pit from where you dragged your sorry carcasses from! You will never touch a hair on my children's heads you ugly half-witted buffoons!" Link raged as he dispatched foe after foe, rushing into the horde of enemies like a madman. He was never one to lose his head like that save for the day Aryll got kidnapped but now that minions of darkness had come and sought harm upon his loved ones, there was no holding back. He would take no prisoners and let none escape before he poured out the full extent of his wrath and his rage had taken its course. Tetra had never seen this side of her husband before and wasn't sure whether she liked this side of him or not. This unbridled rage caused by a clear and present danger to his family, she was sure he was seeing red by the look on his face as he swung wildly in the midst of the horde. It was like he was an animal. It was like watching some kind of monster in a league all its own and even though Link swung wildly, it was also with the precision of a master swordsman, all strikes aimed at vital organs, countering strikes with his sword only to reverse the strike in one fluid motion to cut down the assailant. Tetra was slightly unnerved by the level of lethality Link possessed inside himself if she was honest with herself. The once cheerful, cheesy, carefree man she fell in love with years ago had kept inside him a savage, feral, untamed beast whose shackles had been broken and was now dispensing righteous retribution upon his enemies. Link skewered two Chu Jellies on his sabre and hurled them at a Wizrobe above, knocking all three to the ground where he then drove his blade into the Wizrobe's heart. Link was so caught up in his rage that he didn't even hear the ship fire a volley of bombs towards the shore where he was standing.

"Link, incoming! Get out of there!" Tetra cried out. Link was too busy decimating the enemy forces for him to hear anything so Tetra dropped her sword, reached for the metal shield on her back that she and Link forged the year they got married, grabbed his shield from the ground where he dropped it and rushed to his side. She tackled him to the ground and raised both shields up to protect them from the incoming blasts. The ground around them erupted into fire, enemies went flying, the ground became rubble, and then finally, what felt like the sky crashing down on them stopped. Tetra asked Link if he was okay but neither of them could hear the other.

Tetra yelled something to Link as what appeared to be the last wave of enemies stormed towards them. He looked up at her in confusion. "I said get up! We're about to be surrounded!" She yelled again. She pulled Link up and pressed her back to his, he wielding two swords and she wielding two shields. The final onslaught descended upon them like waves crashing upon a cliffside. As the enemies began their final attack, the duo spun around in a dance duet, Tetra blocking swords and spells while Link followed up with a counter strike. A sword swiped at Tetra's head who then leaned back onto Link's back, blocked, then Link spun her around to the other side, turned, and sent the creature into the next life. A Mothula's spear flew at them but Link called Tetra's name and she bent backwards onto Link's back, deflected the spear, and then continued blocking for Link, upholding their vows that they made to each other four years ago.

"Tetra this isn't looking good. What's the plan, Triforce of Wisdom?" Link asked her, nearly out of breath.

"We have to get the kids to safety. But I'm afraid that it will require an act of ultimate courage." She replied, also nearly out of breath.

"Yeah. I figured as much. As strong as we are, we'll never take them all out." He gave a little chuckle and a sigh. "For what it's worth, I wouldn't want to go out any other way besides letting you escape with Inoh and Ianu. But I've known you long enough to know that you aren't going anywhere unless I'm escaping with you."

"Doesn't take the Triforce of Wisdom to figure that one out. And for what it's worth, there's no one I would rather die beside than you, Link. Alright. Let's do it." She tightened her jaw and took a deep breath. "Gonzo! Senza! Get my children to safety!" She bellowed across the island. "Gonzo, you're captain now! Lead our family to safety! This is my final order as captain! May the winds of good fortune be ever at your backs, my friends! Now go, get them out of here!"

Gonzo and Senza sprinted around the house to where Tetra and Link were fighting the rest of the horde prepared to dive into the fray and battle alongside them.

"Go! Get my kids to the ship!" Link roared waving them back. The two large pirates looked at each other before acknowledging there was no better course of action than to grant their best friends' dying wishes.

"We won't let this sacrifice go to waste." Gonzo said in a low tone, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I'll take care of them. On my life, I will take care of them." He and Senza ran into the house, threw the small children over their shoulders, and jumped through the open window towards the ship, trampling any and all enemies in their way until they made it to the ship just off the coast.

"Well Tetra, it looks like this is it. I'm glad you're here with me though. If it had to be anyone, I would have picked you to be here with me at the end." Link dropped his swords and took his wife's hand in his. "I love you Tetra." He told her with tear filled eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't save us this time. Maybe Inoh and Ianu will be able to fill our roles in a few years. How about that?"

"Shh it's okay Link." She dropped her shields and put her free hand on his cheek and kissed him one final time. "I'm glad it's you too. I'm sure they'll be just fine. I love you Link." They held each other close, unwilling to part into death's clutches as the forces of evil descended upon them. Link remembered his sister's smiling face, all the years they spent with Grandma on Outset Island, the day he met Tetra, the adventures they had shared, their beautiful wedding, and regretted that he wouldn't be able to watch tomorrow's sunrise with her. But mostly, he regretted not being able to teach his son how to be a man and not being able to watch his son and daughter grow up to be adventurers and heroes just like their parents. Tetra remembered her mother for the first time in years. She was in all ways a taller, older version of Tetra. She remembered growing up with her second family, the crew. She remembered falling onto Outset Island, Link's goofy grins, his absolute heroism, loyalty, and love for her, their children, and their families, and regretted not being able to see his smiling face across from hers in the morning. But most of all, she regretted not being able to see her son and daughter grow up. Everything began to go black as the wave of monsters washed over them.

"Land ho!" Senza yelled from the helm. The pirate ship ran aground and up onto shore where the pirates flooded over the side like a downpour of rain falling off a roof and crashed against their enemies with all the force of the seven seas.  
"By the seven seas, not one of you will leave this island alive!" Nudge yelled as he cut a Moblin in half and broke the neck of a Mothula. Senza, with his massive girth, needed no sword. He pummeled all his enemies with his bare hands. He picked up a Moblin and used it as a cudgel, swinging around driving his way towards Tetra and Link. Niko, Mako, Zuko, and Aryll were all firing the cannons at the enemies near the center where Link and Tetra were. Gonzo, with all his strength carved a bloody path straight to his two friends at the heart of the horde. The three of them were there within seconds of landing and cut down the enemies who were attacking Link, who had laid on top of Tetra like a shield. He was bloody and lay motionless, his arms wrapped around the woman he loved in a final act of noble sacrifice. Mako, Niko, Zuko, and Aryll finished off the remaining enemies with the cannons and ran to their friends.

"Link! Miss Tetra! Are you alright?" Gonzo frantically asked, checking for a pulse from Link.

"I'm injured, but I'll live." Tetra responded from underneath Link's body. His shirt had been ripped to shreds and his back and arms were lacerated everywhere, blood still dripping from the wounds. "Wait, Link? Link! Answer me, please!" Tetra begged trying to shake him awake, tears running down her face out of the fear of losing her best friend.

"You're doing it wrong Gonzo move aside!" Mako ordered. Over the years he had been studying first aid and medical treatment from his books. He placed two fingers on the artery on Link's neck and concentrated. "I've got a pulse! It's very faint but I've got a pulse! Help me bandage these wounds someone!"

"Link?" Tetra asked as she felt movement from the man who was prepared to sacrifice all that he had to protect her and their family.

"B…Bag." Link coughed out, using his last reserves of strength to raise a bloody finger towards the house before letting it fall back to the ground.

"His bag!" Aryll ran into the house and searched around until she found his magic satchel and brought it back out to him. "What do you need, Big Brother? What's in the bag?" She asked trying desperately to keep from losing her composure.

"Fairy." He rasped. Aryll dumped the contents out onto the ground resulting in a mountain of tools, weapons, bombs, and various other items he had collected until she found a small pink fairy in a glass bottle. She ripped the cork off the top of the bottle and let the fairy out over Link and Tetra. The small pink light flew around and around the two, lifting them up off the ground as it flew. Tetra's cuts and wounds slowly receded, Link's blood seeped back into his body, his wounds closed and disappeared, and his eyes slowly opened before he and Tetra floated back down to the ground and the fairy slowly fizzled out.

"Link? Oh merciful winds of fortune you're alive!" Tetra cried wrapping her arms around him. "I thought I had lost you! I thought I had lost you.." She whispered tears streaming down her face as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. Link wrapped his arms around her in a comforting manner as he tried to soothe her.

"It's okay. It's okay I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, Tet. The enemies are all gone. We're okay now." Link soothed. "Gonzo, bring the kids here if you will. The enemies have disappeared into black mist so they won't see the carnage that happened here."

"Aye. Link, you saved Tetra's life by using your body as a shield. You nearly died saving her. You are a true man, yeah." Gonzo said.

"Yeah I was pretty sure I was going to die. Thankfully you guys saved our lives. I can't thank you enough." Link replied putting his hand on Gonzo's shoulder. "May the winds of good fortune be ever at your back."

"May the Sun ever shine upon your face." Gonzo returned the sentiment with a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry to break up such a happy reunion moments after you've cheated death, but there is something I must tell you all of." Doc Bandam informed them, having just disembarked. "I'm sorry everyone, but Windfall is under attack! A mass of evil the likes that haven't been seen since the days of that accursed one Ganon sailed these peaceful waters is heading straight towards Windfall! There's no way to get them all off the island without your help slowing this evil fleet down. I know you're still pretty badly beat up but those people have no one else to help them. Sure, there are those big sailors but this is a tidal wave of evil about to wipe them all off the map." The happy smiles of relief that had once plastered every one of their faces now turned into mixed looks of shock, fear, and anger. Link turned to look at his wife, a knowing look of determination worn on his face. She wiped away the last remaining tear and nodded, knowing what he was thinking, what they were all thinking. The inhabitants of Windfall Island were their friends, their family. All the Islands' inhabitants were their family and nothing was going to stop them from taking a stand against the darkness looming on the horizon. Link stood and helped Tetra up, holding both of their kids in their arms and looked at Doc Bandam.

"Alright. Any idea how much time we've got before the storm hits?" Link asked the chemist.

"An hour or two maybe. They're within spyglass range from the lighthouse. Someone was out on top of the lighthouse last night looking at the moon and stars when he spotted the first ship. I got word of this and immediately set out to find you. What do we do, Link?" He pleaded, nearing hopelessness. Link took a few steps towards the water's edge and looked at the now setting sun. He closed his eyes and felt the spray on his skin, the crashing waves' sound in his ears, the salty scent in his nose. He turned around with steel in his gaze as he looked at Doc Bandam.

"We can't save them." Link stated bluntly. Everyone fell silent at these hard words. "We can't stop the invasion of Windfall. There's no way. No time. But we can save the people. That's all that matters now. Here's what I need you all to do. Doc, I need you to take my kids back to Outset and get everyone to be ready to take in a few guests if they are able. Tetra, you and the crew set course for Dragon Roost Island. Get Komali and Medli to round up everyone they can and provide cover fire for the Rito to evacuate the island. Aryll, I need you with them. It's going to get ugly out there and some people may get hurt. I need you to take all my red and blue potions in case people are hurt by the time we all get there. I'm going to go find the diver brothers and see if they can help in any way. I'm sure the Fish Men are already on their way to battle. Alright we all know the plan. Let's show whatever this new threat is that they aren't taking anything without a fight. Not while we still breathe this salty air! We are not simpering cowards who shy away at the first sign of danger, no we welcome it! We protect the innocent and the weak and so we dare those who would seek harm against our friends and family to come against us! Because who are we?" Link yelled uproariously.

"Pirates!" They all replied in unison, even Aryll, Doc Bandam, and the kids, punching the air.

"Right! Now let's go show these yellow-bellied scum sucking shark bait what the mighty pirate crew of the Islands is capable of! Shove off! We meet up on the southern banks of Windfall for the largest rescue mission ever attempted!" Link bellowed. And though they were high in spirits and full of vigor, as the sun finally set behind the horizon, part of them all wondered inwardly if they would ever get to see it rise again. And if so, what would the events taking place on a small island tonight would mean for the world they knew tomorrow. Link embraced Tetra and his children, wishing them all a safe journey.

"Be careful, Link." Tetra whispered into Link's ear as they held each other. "I…Please don't just throw yourself headlong into danger with complete abandon. We need you. Okay?" She asked with rare pleading eyes.

"I know, Tet. But don't worry too much about it. I promise that we'll get through this in one piece. I'll make sure of it. I know what it's like to grow up without any parents besides Grandma. As I live and breathe, I promise I will not let that happen to Ianu and Inoh. I love you, Tetra. How about we all have a meal back at Grandma's house after this? See you at Windfall." He told her. He then turned to his children. "Kids, Mommy, Daddy, and your uncles have to go do something over on Windfall Island okay? We'll be back tomorrow morning. Help Grandma with whatever she needs. Inoh, son, make sure your sister stays out of trouble. Ianu, don't pick on your brother too much. I love you both so much. Your mother does too. Hurry up now and go with Mr. Doc. He'll take you to Grandma's." Link said to them as he hugged them with a sad smile.

"What's wrong Daddy? Why are you crying?" Inoh asked, giving Link a hug.

"Daddy's going to beat up some bad guys with your mother. Hurry now. Mommy and Daddy have to set sail." Link urged them onto the small boat and he and Tetra both waved goodbye to their children as they floated off towards Outset Island. He turned and looked at Tetra who held an expression of longing on her face.

"Link," Tetra began.

"I know, I know. They'll be alright. Okay let's get going. We don't have much time before Windfall gets overrun." Link replied to her. Everyone boarded their vessels and set sail for their respective destinations after receiving a favorable wind from Link's Wind Waker. Link sailed in the pitch blackness of night towards a diver brothers location minutes away while the pirate crew, sails at full, raced towards the waters between Windfall and Dragon Roost Islands.

"Oh sweet Naryu. Yes of course. I'll round up all my brothers and head to Windfall immediately. We won't let you down." The diver brother replied after Link told him the news and the plan. Link made his way to Windfall using the Ballad of Gales.

"Mila! Where are you?" Link called out as he ran through the heart of the island town desperate for answers when he could find nobody inhabiting the once prosperous island.

"Link! In here, hurry up!" Mila called back from the small cafe beside her stalls. "Everyone's been waiting for you to get here. We need a plan. Those evil ships will be upon us shortly. Please tell me you have an answer?" The female blonde asked him.

"I do. But you're not going to like it, Mila. We're evacuating. We've arranged for the Rito and the diver brothers to evacuate you to Outset and Forest Haven away from this danger. There's no saving the island, but at the very least, we can save you all from harm." He replied somberly. It felt as if all the joy from the world had left along with any hope the islanders were still clinging to.

"You can't be serious." One of the burly sailors in the back spoke up.

Yeah this is our home! We can't just abandon it!" Another one interjected.

"They're right Link. We can't just leave this place. It's where we grew up. It's all we know." Mila said quietly, a pained expression worn.

"I know. I know this is your home. I know this place has been where many of you have lived your whole lives. I wish to the heavens that I could save this island. It's where I met many of my friends." He said glancing over at Mila and Zunari. "It's where I met each and every one of you, learned about the outside world apart from my home back on Outset. It's where I have always returned to every now and again and where I mean to return once more after all is said and done." The room was still silent with contemplation and attempts to process that there really was no saving the island from invasion.

"Link's right you know." A short man in a blue hoodie added. "Where I come from, there are horrible thieves that run around and break into people's homes and steal what little they have. Sometimes people have valuables to be stolen, other times, when there's nothing worth stealing, I've seen these hoodlums raze homes to the ground. It is in these times that those families rebuild their houses with their bare hands if need be. Yes, it's painful. To see your own home destroyed by savages such as the ones on their way here. But I say to that, it's just a house. It's just a structure. It doesn't hold your memories, you do. Inside your heart. Furthermore, home is where the heart is my dear, dear friends. It's where the people you hold most dear are. So what if this, the finest of towns, is razed to the very ground? We can rebuild, just like I did. It'll be hard. It will be painful. Many a tear shall be shed, but that's what makes you people so amazing to me. Even though there was a great evil afloat on these waters years ago, you all held strong in the face of it. For those of you whose daughters had been whisked away, you clung to hope as though you had nothing left to cling to and that is precisely what allowed you to overcome the entire ordeal. With all that being said, what do you need of us my dear boy?" Zunari asked the ever green clad hero who gripped his sword tighter in determination.

"I need you all to go to the south shore. There should be some ships and Rito to help you to safety. Everyone, grab your children and loved ones and head towards the southern docks. Women and children first. All you able bodied men, I want you to make sure everyone gets on board or is picked up by a Rito. My ship will be here shortly after the others get here to pick the rest of us up. Don't trample anyone and don't let anyone get left behind. Mila, keep an eye out for any stragglers. If the attack starts, make sure anyone hurt you come across gets to Aryll. She'll have potions for the wounded. Killer bees, help the elderly aboard the ships. Get going everybody. Be safe." Link directed with a cool and level head.

"Alright everyone." One of the biggest sailors said. "All you kids get with your parents and let's get to the docks and wait for the ships and our Rito friends." The families gathered and the sailors lead the way, elderly in the middle with the help of the Killer Bees. Suddenly, there was a bright orange light outside and a deafening boom shook the entire island, halting the progress of the mass exodus.

"What was that?" A woman held her daughter closely as she was gripped with fear of the unknown.

"Get to the docks." Link muttered as he looked up. Another orange glow deposited debris and smoke into the air and snapped everyone out of their stupor. "Go, go, go! Everyone to the docks, no pushing or shoving! Help each other along!" Link shouted above the constant deafening booms.

"Link, the ships are circling! We'll be cut off from the outside!" Mila called out as she picked up a fallen child and passed her on to her mother. Link looked around like he always would when faced with insurmountable odds for a solution to the problem. He looked up and saw the light house and remembered how the fire had first gotten there.

"I have an idea! But first let's get everyone to the docks!" Link called back to Mila. The walls of buildings started to crumble around them and started to fall on top of them. A large stone was headed for a family who had not yet made it through the archway. Link sprang into action, wielding his mighty skull hammer, he bashed the stone away from the family and sent them to safety.

"Hey Link, help me out over here!" Mila yelled to him from beside the archway. Zunari had become trapped under rubble and he couldn't move under the weight.

"Okay I can move this. You'll need to get him to Aryll afterwards though. Hang on Zunari I'll get you out." Link consoled. He reached into his satchel and retrieved two golden bands that had a thin white line around going down the middle of them. He put them on his wrists, situated himself in front of the rubble, and hefted the large stone with a grunt. He picked up the unconscious wares trader and carried him under his arm as he sprinted the remainder of the distance to the docks, Mila on his heels.

"Is that everyone? Is everyone accounted for?" Link asked the mass huddled together flinching with every earth rocking explosion.

"That's everyone, Link. Thank you so much. But where are the ships? I thought you said they'd be here." An elderly woman asked him.

"Don't worry. They're coming. We just need to let them know that we're all here ready for pickup. Watch out!" Link yelled as the top of the light house in the center of town started to crumble onto the buildings below. It fell west and into the field in front of the bomb shop.

"No, not the light house." The elderly woman nearly whispered, looking at the fallen heart of the island. "Now how will they see the island? They could crash."

"I've got an idea. They should be here any time now if they have sails at full and if that mighty tail wind that I gave them held up." Link replied. "Is the windmill still up? I need a vantage point." Link conducted the wind to blow North and the windmill miraculously started to spin again, turning the wheel. Link raced up to the wheel and hopped in a bucket before calming the winds causing the wheel to stop with him at the top. From here, he could see the entire town was ablaze, and what wasn't, was in ruins. Link strung his bow with a magic fire arrow, an arrow that could melt even the coldest of ice with a single strike. He took aim at a passing enemy ship, fired, and set it ablaze. He repeated this process over and over until only one ship remained and created a near perfect ring of fire for the surrounding area to see as a continuous barrage of bombs assailed the small market town. Link notched one last fire arrow, drew back, took aim at the southern sky, and released, sending up a flare to the rescue ships. As he did this, the water behind him started to bubble and boil as some sort of creature under the water approached the shore. Before it even reached the shore, the head of a colossal, ancient, brass diving suit rose from the water followed by the rest of its gargantuan body. Traveling from the depths, it walked ashore, an unknown expression behind the foggy glass of its helmet, dragging a giant unholy lantern and whip made of seaweed wrapped around its corroded and coral covered arm.

"What in Hylia's name is that thing?" Link exclaimed. The giant diver lifted his unholy lantern and threw a fireball into the base of the windmill, sending it toppling towards the docks. Link jumped off and under the falling structure and with his power bracelets still equipped, caught it before it crushed the townspeople beneath it. He turned towards the behemoth who caused the destruction and launched the windmill at it. The massive, coral covered diver looked at it with its expressionless helmet of a face and from its helmet, cast a wide cone of dark light over the flying structure. The building froze midair before the colossus used its seaweed whip to launch it into the water behind it. A shocked Link and many fearful townspeople crowded on the docks, hoping beyond hope that the ships would come before the hulking goliath made its way to them. It started to walk towards them slowly and menacingly.

"Tetra, where are you?" Link said to himself. He met the blank face of certain doom with a look of steely resolve, his hands gripping his sword and shield until his knuckles went white, his face set like stone in defiance of this great evil. "Get behind me everyone." He ordered the huddled, frightened mass. He gripped his sword in both hands and pointed it at the diver, prepared for a final stand. Mila walked to Link's side and stood there with him, ready to face this evil with him. A bald burly sailor joined him on the other side, steely resolve in his eyes. Guy joined them, and then more sailors formed a line between the giant diver and the women and children of Windfall Island.

"Don't worry, Link. You are not alone in this fight." Mila told him.

"Yeah, Link. We've got your back." Guy chimed in.

"We'll do whatever it takes to protects these people." One of the sailors said.

"Even heroes need protecting sometimes." Mila put her hand on Link's shoulder as she said this. "Whatever happens, we're with you."

"Aren't you afraid? That thing looks to be unstoppable!" Someone from the crowd asked incredulously.

"Courage is not having the lack of fear, but knowing that there's something more important than that fear." Link answered. "Here he comes." He muttered, brows furrowed in determination. The behemoth stood in front of them, towering over them like the lighthouse it had just destroyed. It raised its lantern with its dark fire up, aiming to set the shrieking mass ablaze. As the monster went to pour its fire on them, a mighty foghorn was sounded from beyond the ring of fire circling the island, drawing the attention of all. It blew again and was sustained. The giant diver clutched the sides of its helmet head in pain. A large vessel flying a black and white jolly roger rammed straight through the ring of fire, foghorn still blowing, with a beautiful blonde standing atop the bowsprit, sword pointed forward towards shore.

"All hands, open fire!" Tetra bellowed. Several dozen cannons protruded out from the sides of the ship as well as from the deck and let loose a barrage of fire upon the evil fleet surrounding the island. Close behind the pirate ship was a fleet of Masked Beedle and his brothers, the diver brothers, and the Rito above them. "Link!" Tetra called out. "Just like that time with the angry natives when we went to chart out west!"

"But we had grappling hooks that time!" Link yelled back. Cannon fire landed directly on top of the giant diver as he said this. The diver was unphased.

"Yeah but this time we have the Rito Tribe! Now get them into position!" Tetra retorted. Link gathered all the women and children at the edge of the docks with arms outstretched. One by one, the Rito came and scooped up the townspeople and carried them to either a Beedle, a diver brother, or the pirate ship where they landed safely. "Everyone get below decks! If you are wounded find Aryll. Hey Niko, give the rest of those people some covering fire." Tetra commanded.

"As soon as Link is aboard I want us as far away from here as possible, Gonzo. We've got about two minutes before the rest of that fleet gets here. These are just the scouts." Tetra informed him.

"Aye, Captain." Gonzo replied. Link still stood in harm's way, protecting the last few people being picked up. He shielded himself, Mila, and Guy from being crushed by the diver's lantern with his shield, causing dust to fly around them and a loud ringing noise to emanate from the shield. The giant covered the places on his helmet where his ears would be and let out an unholy, blood curdling wail of pain.

"That's the last of them, Link. Just the two of us left." Mila told him. Komali swooped in and lifted Mila up without ever slowing down, carrying her off towards the ship. "See you on board the ship, Link!" She called back to the hero. The now angry colossus lifted both its hands into the air to smash the green clad hero to death in one fell strike. As its hands came down, Medli flew faster than any Rito dreamed and snatched Link from the clutches of the monster, letting Link cheat death once more.

"Thanks for the save, Medli. That could have ended pretty badly." Link thanked, his cap nearly blowing off from the wind speed.

"Just like old times, eh Link?" Medli chuckled looking down at him.

"Ha. Not even close. That giant diver type enemy is powerful. I threw a tower at him and he stopped it mid-flight. Then he chucked it into the ocean like it was a stick. I've never seen an enemy that powerful besides maybe Ganon but I would go so far to say even he would have some trouble with that. Here's our stop." Link pointed to the pirate ship below before being dropped onto the deck.

"Link how many times am I going to have to save your sorry hide from certain death? That's twice in one day now! I think you should take a break for a couple days before going after your next death wish. Honestly. You're going to be the reason I have an early grave." She sighed. After she took a deep breath, she smiled at him. "I'm glad you made it back, Link. You gave all these people enough time to get to the ships and boats. Aryll's below decks. You should go get yourself checked out. That's an order, by the way." She commanded. As Link was about to turn, the blonde captain kissed her husband and subsequently punched him. "Both of those are for risking your life so frequently and recklessly. Now find Aryll and before I throw you down there myself."

"Aye aye, captain." Link replied in a half sarcastic tone. "Oh but before I do that, could you send that behemoth right there my regards?" Link asked with a devilish smirk.

"Aye." Tetra answered with her signature wink. "Gonzo! Bow to port! Let's send this monster our regards."

"Aye! Bow to port!" Gonzo responded turning the front of the ship left so the right side of the ship was facing the shore.

"Mako, Senza, Nudge! Fire all cannons on that giant by the dock!" Tetra ordered to the crew below. Fire spewed from the ship's cannons as a massive volley of cannon fire descended upon the massive diver monster. The skies were aglow with an orange hue from the fire roaring on shore where the diver was.

"That's impossible." Zuko breathed. "It's still alive captain! That thing is still alive down there! A full volley from the broadside and it's still standing!"

"Can't be. Nothing living can withstand that kind of attack!" She responded. But surely enough, through the flames, a lone figure stood, looking worse for wear but still standing, an inhuman wail piercing the night and the islanders' very bones. "Get us out of here Gonzo. We're not sticking around to see what that thing's made of. Take us home. If you need me, I'll be below decks."

"Aye." Gonzo replied through a shudder as he set course for Outset Island. In the distance, the island that once was Windfall Island, burned slowly as the escaping ships drew farther and farther away from its once beautiful shores. Off to the East, however, the horizon was bathed in orange, yellow, and blue as the Sun rose up from where it slept and bathed the ocean in its radiant light, and with it, knowledge that today was a new day. The people of Windfall Island had survived the night. They had survived the invasion. They had lived to fight another day. And as they mourned the loss of all that they had ever known on that island, they stood steadfast and strong in the hope that one day, maybe one day, they would all go back to their home and rebuild. Just like Zunari said.

To be continued


	4. At Even Tide

Winds of Love Chapter 4

At Even-Tide

"Very good, son! You're improving day by day. Now let's see how you're coming along with your shield practice. Take your stance, and defend yourself." Ever since the fall of Windfall Island, Link had begun training his children and any others who wanted to better defend themselves. Link's son, Inoh, had become increasingly better as the days went by and now, his parents thought he and his sister were ready for their first real battle against the encroaching singular force of evil that had inserted itself into the once peaceful islands where Link and Tetra grew up. Inoh was on his way to becoming a grand hero and adventurer with his father's help and Ianu was well on her way to becoming a tactician ever as sly and cunning as her mother. Every day she would study maps that her mother had charted during her adventures, read books about naval tactics, and played Tetra at chess and although she could never beat her mother at chess, she could outsmart people with even a sharp mind with their wits about them. Together, the two of them made for an interesting challenge when they sparred against Link.

"Link, kids, I'm home." Tetra called as she came ashore to their small island. "I found some info on that giant diver from Windfall." Link immediately perked up at the news. "His name is Ankor. One of the diver brothers told me an old story about a young man long ago who went in search for treasure aboard a sunken ship. When he got down to the ship, in the captain's quarters he found a large chest that was blacker than the darkest night. He broke open the chest but inside was not treasure at all. It was a purple orb with black runes on it. The young diver, against his better judgement, picked up the relic and started to swim up to the surface. As he swam, a freak storm moved in on the diving ship, screeching winds threatened to rip the small sail right off the mast as it heaved the boat to and fro over the waves. Water surged up onto the deck as the crew raced to pull their brother up and to secure themselves. A deafening thunderclap sounded as lightning split the sky, crashing into the small vessel, breaking it apart. They said as the crewmates struggled to stay afloat, they could see a purple glow coming from below the water. A supernatural glow. They said it was in that moment, as that diver struggled for air, being pulled down by the weight of his suit and being crushed by his own despair, the relic turned him into a monster. He didn't want to drown and the relic heard his wish. It granted it by turning him into a monster that couldn't drown. Nobody knows how he wound up serving under Ganon. But he's a monster that doesn't age, can't drown, and has immense power. Any ideas how to kill him?"

"What about that purple orb?" Ianu inquired. "Sounds like that could be a weak point. If that's the thing that created the diver, maybe destroying it will lift the curse he's under." Inoh simply nodded in agreement.

"I knew you kids were smart. Good thinking." Link praised. The two teens high fived each other smugly.

"There's something else though." The blonde captain interjected. "The divers gave me this scroll that holds the collective knowledge of this being gathered over the years. There's a message for all who are unfortunate enough to encounter it in their lifetime. It says:

For all who encounter this creature dark

Heed the words we now impart.

From the rolling waters deep,

A mystic evil no more sleeps.

Using a wish to attain its goal,

Malice's power comes from the soul.

All who meet his hate and fall,

Will be deaf towards life's call.

Sound the tolling of life's bell

To remain where the living dwell.

Free the souls from their cruel half-death

And take away the monster's breath."

The four of them stood pondering the meaning of the message.

"Okay so the source of power is souls. Plain and simple." Link said more for his thought process than for informing the others.

"Right." Tetra interjected. "And by fall, it means of course, we die."

"So, I guess it's pretty straight forward. Take Ankor down, save the world, free the souls. But what was that part about 'malice' about?" Ianu pondered. Sure, there was the use of malice as in ill will or specific intention for evil, but something about the word in the warning scratched at her brain. "There's just something about how they used the word malice. I know it means the desire for evil, but malice comes from the heart. From the core of one's being. Not from our essence, does it?"

"You may be on to something, Ianu." Tetra replied. "Even Ganon wasn't acting with malice. Yes, he killed, he destroyed, he kidnapped me, tossed Link into the ocean and caused despair throughout the seas and in Old Hyrule. But he didn't exactly act with malice. He wanted to return to his race, the Gerudo, and have peace. Was he justified in what he did? Not even in the slightest. Killing for any other reason than to protect your family or innocent people is wrong and unforgivable."

"She's right." Link added. "Taking the life of another living creature is not something to be done on a whim. Once an action is taken, it can never be taken back. Killing is a last resort. The last thing we want is for you two to share in our burden. The sword is not a gift. It is a curse. It only brings death wherever it is used. I pray that you will never have to take a life if bloodshed can be avoided. But we train you kids so that if the need ever does arise, you two will be ready to do what is necessary to protect those you love. It's not an easy thing to take a life. Not even one so deserving of it as the forces of evil. It never gets easier no matter how many times you do it. And you must live with it for the rest of your life. This is the burden of being a hero. But hey chin up. You have us to shoulder that burden." He finished with a smile and a ruffle of his kids' hair.

"Back to the point. We need to figure out how to kill Ankor. He's got some heavy looking armor so our swords will likely do nothing against him. We'll need something big like bombs. And a lot of them too." Tetra stated rubbing her chin. The salty wind wove its way through blonde hair and the smell of brine wound its way into the noses of the family standing on the shore. In the distance, a bell buoy rang out tossed by the undulating waters.

"Hey Tetra. What if his helmet rings like a bell? You hit metal with a hammer or a bomb just right, it rings. What if Ankor's helmet is the same way? I bet that'd stun him long enough for us to do some damage to him or at least figure part of him out." Link suggested as he was inspired.

"I think you're on to something there. Alright. Let's go. Let's alert the crews and prepare for the last battle against Ankor and Ganon's remaining forces. While you and Inoh are loading the ship with our crew, Ianu and I will chart our course using the information the scouts have so far." Tetra briefed.

"Sounds good. Hey Inoh, I have a sword for you by the fireplace. My satchel should be beside it so grab both if you would. Before we go to Outset I need to stock up on bombs. They're over on Bomb Island." Link started preparing the sails and aimed the wind North East towards Bomb Island. As they sailed the short distance to their destination, a large shadow loomed overhead.

"Incoming!" Tetra shouted as a giant black bird swooped low at the small boat, just barely missing it.

"We're sitting ducks! Dad, try using your Deku leaf to add wind to the sail." Ianu said.

"Great thinking. Hold on everyone! We're going to run aground." Link reached into his satchel, retrieved the gif from the Great Deku Tree that was bestowed upon him so long ago, and blew a mighty gust of wind into the sail that propelled them all the way to shore and up onto the land. They bailed out of the boat and grouped together defensively as the enormous bird circled overhead.

"Hey Link, doesn't this look like the Helmaroc King? That big bird that Ganon sent to capture me back then." Tetra asked. The bird had deep blue feathers with white and black at the edges except the difference between the Helmaroc King and this enemy was the tailfeathers. While Helmaroc's were green with a yellow outline, this bird's tailfeathers were blood red with a black outline.

"Except the tail is different. This one has black and red tailfeathers Helmaroc King's were yellow and green. This must be the queen because I don't see a plume anywhere on it. The wingspan is smaller as well." Link observed as the bird sent gusts of wind towards the family, causing Ianu and Tetra to stumble and fall. Several Kargarocs, smaller versions of the Helmaroc King, swarmed behind and surrounded Link and Inoh, cutting them off from Tetra and Ianu. The Helmaroc Queen swooped down and caught Tetra and Ianu in her clutches.

"Not this time!" Tetra used her sword to pry the talons from around her, freeing her and letting her fall into the shallower water.

"I can't get my arms free!" Ianu cried out, struggling with all her might to break free of the monster's grasp but to no avail. Inoh readied his bow and aimed his arrow at the bird. Link put his hand on the arrow, stopping him from releasing it.

"No. You could hit your sister. I've got another idea. Here take my Deku leaf and shield. I'm going to use the Power Bracelets and Skull Hammer to launch you up to her. You free her and ride the leaf back down. The shield will absorb most of the impact so don't worry." Link handed his son the items and donned his Power Bracelets and Skull Hammer. He placed his left foot back and readied to swing. Inoh angled his shield downwards slightly and put his center of gravity over it before looking up at Link.

"Dad?" He asked, looking uncertain of himself. Link gave him a reassuring look.

"You can do this, son. Not because you're the son of a hero, or the son of the leader of pirates, but because you are my son. You are Ianu's brother. You are a man. And what do men do?" Link asked him, looking for a specific response.

"Men protect their families. No matter what." The small blonde replied with a confident smile. "Swing away, Dad." Inoh grit his teeth and steadied himself. Link swung with all the power and resolve of a man bent on saving a member of his family. Inoh flew high up into the air and through the clouds above the Helmaroc Queen. Looking down, he could see the monstrous bird below holding his sister in its talons. He drew his sword and descended upon the beast with intent. As he landed, he drove the sword into the creature's spine, causing it to flail and fling Ianu up into the air. Inoh ran down the Queen's back and flung himself into the air towards Ianu. Soon, the two siblings were in freefall over the open waters.

"Thank you but now what?" Ianu shouted over the wind crashing in their ears.

"Grab my hand!" Inoh shouted back to her. He gave her one end of the Deku leaf while he held the other end. Together they glided back down safely to Bomb Island and into their parents' arms.

"I'm so glad you two are safe! Link, if you ever do something so risky again, there are not enough potions on the seven seas that can save you from my wrath. Got it?" They both embraced their children tightly.

"Alright." Tetra started after taking a few deep breaths to steady herself. "Let's grab the bombs and group up with the crew."

"Aye." They all replied as they loaded the bombs into Link's seemingly bottomless satchel and shoved off for Outset Island to the North West. Upon making landfall, the blonde family disembarked and headed for Link's childhood home.

"Grandma we're home!" Link called out.

"Over here, kids. Come give me a hug." Grandma said walking from around the house with her wooden walker. In her advanced age, her legs could no longer support her for very long. "Good to see you, kids. My how you children have grown!" She exclaimed while pinching Inoh's and Ianu's cheeks. "I remember when you two were first born. You could fit in the palm of your father's hands. You two are going to become great people in the future. Even greater than you already are." She winked at them.

"Grandma, I'm afraid we're gonna have to gather the crew." Tetra said with a solemn expression on her face. Grandma's usually happy face fell in worry and sadness.

"It's time then, isn't it?' She asked softly, looking into the eyes of each of her precious family members.

"Time for what?" Aryll asked as she walked up from one of her errands on the island.

"For war, Aryll. We're going to go kill Ankor and free Windfall. I hate to say it but we have to bring Ianu and Inoh with us. We can't do it on our own. Do you know where Gonzo and the others are? We need to tell them it's time to gear up. Tell everyone that we're going to be meeting at the summit in fifteen minutes." Link replied in a serious tone. "You come too." There was a moment of hesitation while Aryll processed what she always knew was bound to happen.

"Alright." She said quietly before she ran to gather everyone to the island's summit. When they all gathered around Link atop Outset Island's peak, Link addressed its inhabitants.

"Everyone, our scouts have spotted Ankor and part of his naval forces just north of Crescent Moon Island on an island outside of the traditional chart. Our plan is Tetra and I take our kids and crew, and put an end to this nightmare once and for all. We'll need all the bombs and armor that can be spared. While my family goes and takes out Ankor, the pirates will draw the naval force and hopefully most of the reinforcements away from the island. If we can kill Ankor, maybe the rest of his army will give up and go back to wherever it is that they came from. It's not a perfect plan. Not anywhere close. But it's the best we've got." Link finished, looking at everyone in turn. The crowd was silent, knowing that they may soon lose their only hope of freedom. Someone in the back raised his head and then his voice.

"If you succeed, and they retreat, will we get to go back to Windfall Island? Back home?" It was Doc Bandam who stepped forward.

"Yeah. As far as we can tell, this is the only way we even have a chance of restoring peace to these waters." Tetra replied.

"So you're bringing your children, your flesh and blood, into a battle you don't even know you can win, much less survive?" It was one of the large sailors this time, white ripped cotton shirt, arms, back, and face covered in scars from many fights. "Why not take us? I speak for all us mighty sailors when I say we would happily lay down our lives for you and your family, Link. After all you've done for us, we wouldn't be men if we didn't come to your aid when you needed us. Please let us fight in place of your children."

"As much as every fiber of my being as well as Tetra's begs us to let them sit this battle out, they're impressive young fighters. Ianu inherited her mother's cunning and skill with a bow, and Inoh inherited my ability to take a hit and my skill with a blade. Together, they could quite nearly best me on a good day. I'm sorry my friend, but four is all the most we can take to infiltrate the island without drawing attention. I truly appreciate your wanting to help and fight in place of them, but I simply cannot accept. Either way, someone has to stay and protect everyone if we don't come back." He trailed off.

"He's right." Inoh and Ianu stepped forward to join their parents. "This is our duty. No one else can do this. The purpose of any hero is to lay down his life so that others don't have to." He didn't really know what else to say so he simply stood beside his father silently.

"So then. That's how this is going to go?" Aryll asked walking up with Grandma. Both were on the verge of tears.

"I'm afraid so. But hey, don't worry. I always manage to find a way, remember?" Link replied, hugging both of them warmly, tears falling from his eyes. Tetra, Inoh, and Ianu all mirrored the same sentiments and hugged them too, tears falling from everyone's eyes.

"You come back to me, Link. All of you. I'm begging you. Come back to me. I want to see what these children become in later years. I want to see them grow up. I already know what they'll become. What they have become. The greatest great grandkids I could ever ask for. Inoh, Ianu, you two make me so proud. I want you two to come back safely so I can watch you two grow up like I watched your parents and aunt grow up. I don't know how I could ever manage if a single one of you got hurt or couldn't come back. It's always you, though, who goes out to save the world, isn't it?" She asked, looking at Link and Tetra. "Ever since the day that small girl fell from the sky, you've been there, in the thick of it all, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Fighting evil we can't imagine, facing so many trials, but you always found a way through it all. You always found a way to save the day, no matter the odds, didn't you? It's too much to ask you to fight for us again. It's too much, Link. But we all know it's the only way. It was always the only way. None of us even know how to fight. Link, please. Keep them all safe, you included. I love you all so very much. If only your mother and father could see you now. I guarantee they would be the second proudest parents in the world, me being the first. I want to see you back here before the end of the week. My little hero, all grown up." She hugged them all again with tears flowing from her eyes and stepped aside for Aryll and Joel, who had been with Aryll since Windfall fell.

"Link, I know you'll make it back safely. And that you'll bring back the rest of the family too. It's like Grandma said, you always find a way. But I'm asking you, just this once. Don't put your life on the line recklessly. Don't try and do it all by yourself. You still have and always will have people back home waiting for you to return like you did over a decade ago. Promise us that you'll come back safely when you're done? When you come back, we can all have some of Grandma's soup and tell stories like we use to in the old days, okay?" Aryll squeezed her big brother in a big hug. Next was Joel's turn.

"Link, ever since we were kids, I knew you were great. I didn't know you were going to be a hero, I only knew that you were someone to look up to. I want you to know that I never stopped looking up to you. You've saved our homes and families so many times. Sometimes without us even aware that there was ever any danger. I speak for everyone when I say with the utmost sincerity, thank you, Link. Thank you, Tetra. Thank you both for doing so much for us all. We can't repay you the kindness you've shown us through the years. But I hope that you'll allow us to at least sail with you until you reach the dangerous waters." He finished as he outstretched his hand towards Link. They clasped arms and embraced. Link turned his head to whisper into Joel's ear.

"It's up to you to take care of Aryll if I don't make it back. I'm counting on you, Joel." Link whispered.

"You have my word." Joel swore. They patted each other's backs and stepped away. "I couldn't help but notice that Inoh's shield looked like it was damaged. I want you to take mine and Aryll's family shield. It's not the strongest, but it's the best we have to offer you. Can't go out and fight evil with damaged gear after all." Joel chuckled.

"Thank you, Joel. We'll put it to good use." Tetra said, taking the shield that bore his family's crest.

"Everybody, we won't forget the kindnesses you've all shown us over the years. From the time Grandma took Aryll and I in after our parents went missing, to when Orca taught me how to fight with a sword and shield, to the people of Windfall who have helped keep the lower islands safe and gathered supplies when we needed them, to all the kindness you've shown my family just now. Thank you all." Link felt the beginning of more tears form in his eyes as he took Tetra's hand. "Grandma," Link turned to the only real mother figure in his life who, since meeting Tetra, had become hers as well. "I'm looking forward to that soup when we all get back." He gave a sad smile and gave her a long hug. The rest of the island's residents moved in around the small family and started a massive group hug full of sadness, tears, but also hope. The hopes of everything and everyone they knew rested upon their collective shoulders now.

"It'll be warm and waiting for when you get here, my grandchild." Grandma replied softly, trying her best to keep the flood just behind her eyes at bay.

"We'll be back before you know it, Grandma." The twins reassured before hugging their beloved great-grandmother.

"I know…I know." She replied, trying to convince herself more than anything.

"Alright everybody." Link announced. "Everyone who's coming to see us off, board your ships and shove off. My crew will join you out on the water shortly." Everyone looked solemnly at each other as they headed to the docks with their respective crews and families to board their ships. Link gathered his crew and followed suit.

"Senza, call for weigh anchor and full sail! Zuko, signal the other ships to shove off." Link ordered from beside the ship's steering wheel where Tetra was.

"Aye, Link." They replied.

On either side of the great ship, smaller vessels joined them in their voyage. Small trade ships, Beadle's ship, makeshift sail boats, even small fishing boats sailed alongside the heroes who had protected them for the past many years. They sailed alongside him in utmost respect and gratitude. Grandma, Aryll, Zill, they were all sailing right beside Link's ship on Beadle's trade ship standing on the bow. Mila, and Zunari sailed on his vessel on the opposite side. The rest of the people of Outset Island and Windfall Island sailed in front of him, behind him, and beside him, forming a massive protective ring of ships around the flag ship.

"Once more, we sail towards evil's shores

To do battle against unnumbered foes.

An oath we swore, with shield and sword

To protect these lands forevermore.

No matter the cost, no matter what's lost,

With faith, with hope, and with family, we sail on.

To war."

Tetra and all the crew listened on in wonder of this man's inspiring words which grew louder with every line until he was shouting where the entire fleet could hear the conviction in his words.

"Once more into the fray, once more.

To keep evil at bay, we board

A mighty ship with sails unfurled

That our fire and fury might be hurled.

In this, the darkest night, we bring a brilliant light

To shine against the blight.

No more boys are we but men!

Though knocked down once, we rise again.

To arms! To arms! We stand against the darkening storm.

Against those who seek to do our loved ones harm,

We blow our trumpets and battle horns!

Our families no longer hide from the night

Forever more shall there be light!

To the evil doers and monsters, we say

Nowhere is safe now, even your master has been slayed!"

An echoing response to Link's speech resounded from the waters to the crow's nest of every ship, with cheers and battle cries did the masses applaud with their weapons and lanterns held high.

"That was beautiful, Link." A moved Tetra commented, touching her hand to her husband's face. He simply nodded and grinned back at her. The image of Link's face from when he caught her in the forest on the plateau of his island. That smile that made her feel warm, made her feel safe. She thought back through all the years they had been together, the island, Ganon, Link joining her crew, the birthdays, the marriage. She felt her heart warm up at the memory. She thought about the night she had Inoh and Ianu in her room on their island. Link was a wreck. Tetra chuckled at the thought. She remembered with pain welling up in her stomach about the night monsters came to their island and nearly killed Link, and how in a last-ditch act of desperation, Link shielded her from an onslaught of attacks with his own body. Then she realized, Link was the exact same person he was when he was a kid. Always jumping into the fray with reckless abandon if it meant protecting the people he loved. He was always like that. He was always the hero. He always bore the burdens of others on his shoulders and didn't complain for a second. He always sailed on, silently thinking. About what was anyone's guess. She looked at Link and then at their lovely blonde children, and then back at Link with fear, dread, and a hint of desperation in her eyes.

"I know." He simply stated. "If it comes to it, you'll take them, get them out of danger, and send them to New Hyrule along with the rest of our people. You'll keep them there, alert the nation, and pray that you meet someone who will help you stop this behemoth." He saw the tears behind her eyes, the ones that only ever threaten to be shed when the loss of a loved one is possible. "But it won't come to that, okay?" He took her in his arms and squeezed her tight. "We always find a way."

"I know. I know it won't come to that. Because I'm not leaving you even if it does. A mother and a father do all in their power to raise their children and protect their children, even if it means sacrificing themselves to do it. If it means they'll have a future, I would gladly give mine up. And if it's your future that's on the line, I would gladly lay mine beside it. The sword and the shield, remember? I will never leave you in your time of need, love." Tetra took his hand in hers and beckoned for the two smaller blondes towards her.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Inoh asked, sensing something wasn't quite right with his parents.

"If it comes down to it, I want you two to turn tail and run. If one of us says run, you drop everything and find a way off the island. You get back to the ship, sail to Outset, and get everyone to New Hyrule. We've never met a monster we couldn't defeat, but this monster is incredibly powerful." She instructed.

"We won't just leave you and Dad to die, Mom." Inoh replied. "We're not going to run away from this." They weren't raised to leave anyone behind, after all.

"You won't be running away, you'll be saving everyone else." Link clarified. "If it comes down to it, we'll buy you two time to get everyone to the mainland and warn them of what's coming. If we four can't stop him, your mother and I are going to be counting on you to get everyone to safety, okay?"

"Y…Yes, Dad." The twins answered with their heads hung low.

"Don't worry though, kids. I have a feeling everything is going to work out." Link assured them.

"Hey Link, look at that." Tetra said pointing out towards the rest of the fleet. All the various ships had formed a ring around the flagship and had placed a single lit lantern on the edge of the bow of the ship, making it look like there was almost a ring of fire lighting the way through the darkening waters. All around, his friends and family sailed with him. All the people he had met over the years, everyone he had ever saved, everyone he had ever helped, everyone he had ever known and loved, they were all there with him. They were all there by his side to send him and his family off to battle.

"Kids, I want you to know that all these people are here escorting us because your father is one of the greatest men to ever sail these waters." Tetra whispered to her children. "Even if he is still a big dork most of the time." She giggled.

"No." He replied, in awe of the reality before him. "This is because of us." Time went by as Link and the other pirates told stories about all the adventures they had had over the years, sharing heartier laughs than any one of them had had in many, many years. They passed by Eastern Fairy Island as they made their approach to the edge of safety. One by one, in the glow of the small lanterns, the captains and passengers of the ships gave Link a sad smile, never saying goodbye, and left the formation to head home until it was only Grandma, Aryll, and Joel on Beedles shop ship right beside them. As Beedle turned the ship around, Link could see Aryll in the lantern's glow waving both arms above her head as he himself had done many years ago when he had first embarked on his adventure. He returned the gesture along with his family until the small ship faded into the night. They passed Pawprint Isle and Dragon Roost Island with its inhabitants not having been seen in a decade due to the ever-present danger.  
"So, Triforce of Courage," Tetra slightly teased addressing Link. "You've faced more of these giant boss-like monsters than anyone else in the world. Do you have a strategy yet? You said most of them have a pattern, right? So, what's the plan?" Link let out a long exhale and a pondering look.

"Hit him hard, hit him fast, don't die." He replied along with a shrug.

"Good plan." Tetra concurred after a short pause.

"Hey kids, come here." Link beckoned them over to sit beside him at the railing of the ship. "I want you two to know that out of all that I have collected over my lifetime, out of all the items in all the dungeons, of all the rupees and things to be obtained from the ocean floor or shop window, you, my family, you three are the greatest treasure on this earth." He wrapped his arms around Tetra, Ianu, and Inoh and pulled them close to him.

"You too, Dad." Ianu returned the sentiment.

"Yeah." Inoh echoed.

"I love you too, you big cheesy dork." Tetra replied. Nearby, a teary-eyed Gonzo was trying his hardest not to cry from the heartwarming and utterly cheesy scene.

As they approached Crescent Moon Island, small enemy cannon ships spotted their lantern and lobbed their bombs at the lone pirate ship.

"Inoh, get on the cannons with Nudge. Link, light up the island with your fire arrows so we can see. Ianu, let's see if what I've taught you with the bow has paid off." Tetra instructed them. They scurried to their positions. Link aimed high and loosed his flaming arrow towards the small island. It exploded upon impact, casting light all around and onto the enemy ship for a brief moment.

"Did you find him, Mako?" Tetra asked of the ever-vigilant lookout atop the crow's nest.

"Aye, Cap'n! 'Bout three hundred yards off the port bow!" Mako called down.

"Gonzo, line up the shot for us." She ordered.

"Aye." Was his reply. Link fired another arrow and cast a glow on the ship. As soon as Inoh and Nudge saw it, they fired a volley of bombs and launched the catapult, sinking the ship.

"Good job, everyone. Let's put out that lantern so this doesn't happen again." Link said.

"We're nearly there, everyone. It's time." Gonzo informed them as they rounded the eastern side of Crescent Moon Island.

"Pirates, listen up!" The captain bellowed. "This could go very badly for both groups. The pirates who are drawing the enemy navy away from the island, and the pirates that are going to try and cut the head off this sea serpent. In any case, I want you all to know that we pirates are family. The generation of pirates before us would be proud of what we've accomplished in our lifetime. We've saved the world once already, and tonight we do it again. Watch each other's backs out there. That's an order! I speak on behalf of my blood related family when I say thank you for all you've done for us, all you've been with us through, and for all the adventures we've had. You've all done us proud. May the winds of fortune be ever at your backs, my friends. Inoh, Ianu, Link, time to go."

"Whether it be the family table back on Outset or the great beyond, I'll see you all on the other side." Link called out with a wave and a smile as he and his wife jumped into the small rowboat on the side of the ship.

"You've all been great uncles to me and my brother. Thank you for all the adventures!" Ianu shouted as she followed suit. Inoh began to say something, but then nodded once at the people he loved and hopped in the small boat.

"Aye." They all replied quietly.

"There's the island, along with their navy!" Mako called out from the crow's nest above.

"Alright everybody. This is what we came here for. This is where we do our part to save the world!" Gonzo shouted out for all to hear. "Captains, all ashore. We've got this. May the winds of fortune be ever at your back." Senza lowered them down into the water and dropped full sail. "Alright everybody, and man a cannon and get ready to blast these fellas into chum!" The large ship sped ahead cutting the water like a hot knife through butter, turning its broadside towards the enemy ships dropping a full bombardment on their heads before sailing away from the island with over half the enemy ships in tow. Meanwhile, the small boat made its way to shore under cover of the moonless sky. In the distance, the thunderings of a fierce naval battle could be heard. The splintering of wood, the occasional smell of gunpowder drifting on the sea breeze, the sound of metal ships being torn asunder and plunged into the black depths.

"We need to get going, Tet. They'll be fine." Link reassured the rarely unsure pirate queen.

"You're right. Let's go." They climbed up the steep hill behind where a group of Moblins were watching the flashes of battle taking place at sea. Closer to the hill was a lone Darknut and to the right side of the hill, was a ReDead.

"Whatcha got, Ianu? Tell us who to hit first." Link said, putting his daughter to the test even now.

"Well?" A curious and expectant Tetra asked. Ianu surveyed the area, blue eyes darting back and forth as she thought up a strategy.

"I've got it. First, the ReDead, since it's the loudest and could potentially alert Ankor to our presence. Second, we circle over to the four Moblins and take them out with arrows. Nice and quiet. Then we all take out the Darknut. Surround him, cut his armor and helmet off, and disarm him all at the same time, then immediately after, Dad will deliver the final strike. I'll take the armor, Inoh takes the helmet, and Mom disarms." She drew a map of the plan out in the still wet sand at the bottom of the hill.

"Good plan. I knew you inherited your mother's wit and cunning." Link responded to her.

"Good job, Ianu. Let's see how well we can execute it." Tetra said as they climbed back up the hill. Link threw a rock to the other side of the ReDead who slowly sauntered over to look at it with its lifeless stare. It looked down to see two swords protruding through each of its lungs and a dagger through its voice box as slumped to the ground, unable to alert any of its allies.

"That seemed a little bit overkill, don't you think?" Tetra asked Link on the way to the Moblin group.

"Well it was the only way I could think of taking it out instantly without it being able to scream that chilling scream. Like a banshee's wail." Link replied with a shudder. "I'll take the Moblin on the far left."

"Far right." Tetra whispered.

"Inner left." Inoh said quietly.

"Inner right." Ianu replied.

"Draw. Release on my mark." Link instructed. They all notched an arrow and drew back on their bows, taking aim. "Fire." Four arrows flew and three Moblins hit the ground with a thud. The fourth one looked at his fallen brethren and then ran towards the island's structure to alert whoever else was on the island.

"I missed!" Ianu hissed as she notched another arrow. Before she could fire, an arrow struck the pig-like creature down.

"How did you miss?" Link asked his daughter in an incredulous hushed voice.

"I don't know! It just whizzed past his head. I had the shot lined up and the arrow just went past him!" Ianu answered in an equally incredulous and hushed voice.

"That was too close. We can't afford to mess up when we're so close to Ankor." Link chided.

"Sorry, Dad. It won't happen again." Ianu scratched the back of her neck.

"Time to kill the Darknut." Tetra informed them. "C'mon let's move it. After this we can move on Ankor." They moved over and surrounded the dark knight clad in crimson red. He drew his sword and readied his shield. He was a champion among his kind and would have likely been an honor guard had Ankor needed such a thing. But Ankor never needed so much as a shield. So here the Darknut was standing guard outside the temporary base Ankor had set up along with a bunch of rabble that had been recalled from nearby to stand guard. They all stood, looking intensely at the champion Darknut, not moving a muscle. The evil knight, too, stood, eyes darting between the two enemies flanking him and the one in front of him, listening for the slightest hint of movement behind him.

"Now!" Link shouted. Inoh leapt into the air, delivering a blow to the knight's mighty knight's helmet, sending it flying and dazing the Darknut. Tetra closed the gap and too advantage of the knight's dazed state and knocked the large broadsword away with a swift kick to his hand while Ianu delivered an upwards slash to the cords holding the Darknut's armor on, sending it to the ground with a clank. Link rushed forward and delivered a diagonal strike to his torso, knocking him to the ground before finishing him off with an additional stab to the heart.

"That was some fine planning, Ianu." Link told her. "Thing is, these guys don't tend to stay down. Gotta hit them when they're down if you want them to stay down.

"Oh. I've never faced a Darknut of his strength before." Ianu replied wiping blood from her face. Link hesitated for a moment, attempting to gather his thoughts.

"I hope you never have to again. I hope none of you ever are forced to take another life after tonight." Link said quietly. "It's an awful thing. It stays with you. Sorry. Let's keep moving." Link's face had taken a grim expression after he said these words, remembering what he had to do to save his sister and the world. They entered through enormous oak doors that were meant to hold through a naval siege and descended a moss covered and age worn stone spiral staircase into the damp heart of the fortress. At the bottom of the damp stone structure, they were met with a colossal iron door that stood just ajar enough for them to slip through.

"I don't like this." Link muttered.

"Me neither." Tetra replied apprehensively. Both of them were seasoned enough to know something was wrong.

"There's always was a lock on the door, an entire dungeon full of enemies, and a second in command that we would have to overcome before the boss. This feels too easy." Link said, everyone's swords drawn and everyone in a defensive stance as they entered the room. A lantern was lit.

"You've…arrived." A voice as deep as the ocean's abyss slowly announced as the room was filled with a dark glow.

"Ankor." Link spoke with venom practically dripping from his voice. He and his family put their shields up and readied their swords.

"Die." Was the behemoth's response.

"You know what to do!" Link called out as a green, algae covered anchor flew towards them by chain. They all deftly dodged to one side or the other, avoiding the massive projectile.

"Take him out!" Tetra shouted as they all lobbed bombs at Ankor's nigh impregnable armor. A crack formed on the side of the seaweed colored helmet and an unholy wail came from inside the suit. Inoh threw another bomb at Ankor's helmet but was met with Ankor using his seaweed whip to catch the bomb and sling it back at him, just barely missing his head. Using the dirty light from his helmet, he picked up a large piece of rubble and hurled it at Link and Tetra, just barely missing.

"Bombs aren't working anymore, we need a new plan." Ianu pointed out.

"On it! Inoh, bracelets, now!" Link held out his hands from across the rubble strewn floor. Inoh reached into his bag, retrieved the Power Bracelets and tossed them to his father. "Tetra, bomb out in front. Ianu, Inoh, draw his attention towards you." Tetra tossed a bomb onto the floor in front of them as Ianu and Inoh fired a volley of arrows into the armored leviathan. Link rushed out with his shield and Skull Hammer that he used to defeat the mighty bird Helmaroc King with. He used his shield as a barrier between the bomb and himself and used the explosion to propel himself high into the air above Ankor. He pulled himself into a spin that spun faster and faster as he plummeted towards the monster.

"Take this!" Link roared as he brought the hammer crashing down like a meteor striking the earth upon Ankor's head, widening the cracks beginning to form.

"Again!" Link called out. They repeated this process multiple times before Ankor grabbed the lantern from the floor and used it to cast a wave of flame towards the heroic family. Using their shields, they managed to come out of the fire and flames only mildly singed.

"One more time, everyone!" Link yelled to them. Ianu and Inoh rushed forward and slid under Ankor and behind him to continue pelting him with their arrows and swords when their arrows were depleted. With his back turned, Tetra threw another bomb and Link brought his hammer down on Ankor's head one last time, splitting open the ancient helmet to reveal a grayish, shriveled up, face of man that looked to be far beyond death's doorstep with bright gold eyes staring back at the heroes. As he fell to his knees, a bewildered look fell upon his face.

"What's….going….on? What happened…to me? Where am I?" Ankor's speech pattern began to speed up to a normal pace and his voice began to sound less like the ocean itself and more like that of a man's.

"Wait!" Link said quickly as he put his hand on Tetra's notched arrowhead. "Hang on. Something's not right."

"Link what in the name of the seven seas are you doing? We came here to kill him!" Tetra retorted pulling back on her bowstring. The two teenagers stood, not knowing whether to strike at the vulnerable enemy or to show mercy.

"Kill me?" Ankor asked with a shocked and frightened tone. "Why would you kill me? Who are you?" He scampered backwards into the wall trying to protect himself with his hands.

"Nobody's going to hurt you. Not unless you give us any more reason to." Link soothed, trying to calm him down. Everything was different about this…whatever it was in front of him. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well," Ankor began hesitantly. "I remember I was on a dive with my brothers after getting word that there was some incredible treasure in a sunken ship. We sailed out and jumped into the water to check it out. I remember there was something that went wrong with my air supply. Last thing I remember was…"

"What is it?" Tetra asked.

"I remember drowning. I remember I drowned. But how could I have? I'm still here. I'm breathing. I'm alive. How can I remember drowning?" He replied, beginning to get frantic.

"Ankor, is that your real name?" Ianu asked the giant.

"What? Oh. No, it's not. My name is Anavi Berge. Why did you call me Ankor?" He inquired.

"Just…wait until the end. There's a lot to cover seems like." Link told him. He took a seat next to the large man and began to tell him a tale. He covered all that had happened, from Windfall Island to the diver brothers' message, to the legends behind the name of Ankor.

"So, you're saying, I did all that?" Anavi asked, fearing what the answer would be.

"Yes and no." Tetra answered him. "Ankor did those things. And from the looks of it, you're not Ankor. If I had to guess, for the first time in a long time, you're you again."

"But all those people I hurt. What about them?" He asked. The once dim lantern that had been tossed aside in the battle now relit itself as a smoky figure with glowing purple eyes rose out from the flames.

"Yes, what about them?" The figure asked, sarcasm more than obvious in its tone. Anavi's eyes went wide and his jaw went slack at the sight and sound of the figure before him.

"It can't be. That voice." Anavi's gaunt skin began to break out in a cold sweat as he tried to back away from the lantern. "You're the voice I heard as I was drowning. Who are you?"

"The name, is Mailce. Don't tell me you've forgotten all the fun we've had in the past hundred years or however long it's been. I do tend to lose track of time now and then." The shadowy figure responded with a despicable grin.

"Malice?" Ianu echoed.

"That's right. You see, when Ankor here was diving with his little friends, he found me in a sunken ship that had been headed for the most secluded place known to man, where no one would ever find me again. I'm the product of an ambitious wizard's attempts at recreating the power of the gods, the Triforce. Except he didn't count on me having a consciousness, no. He sought to solve the world's problems and restore civilizations, cure diseases, bring about a golden age with the power of wishing for it. But I didn't want that. Why should I cater to the whims of mortals? I am a god! Ganon? That lowly creature? He is an ant compared to me. And that's why I enjoy meddling in your affairs. That's why, when Ankor here got close enough, I reached out, sealed though I was through the wizard's own white magic, and breached his helmet. You see, even though I'm a god, I still love to grant wishes, especially the ones of those on death's doorstep like Ankor was when his lungs were full of saltwater, begging whoever could hear him to save him, and twist them into something that I want. I saved him from drowning. Those desperate wishes are so succulent and delicious! It gives me nourishment. But I've had control over Ankor ever since. I turned him into my own personal instrument of destruction!" Malice finished his rant with a loud cackle as Anavi hung his head in shame. He looked back up with steel in his once deadened eyes, like the life had finally come back.

"Malice. You have plagued this world for far too long. Stealing souls, stealing time away from others. Destroying homes and lives that you should have never been allowed to touch and it is all my fault." Anavi rose up from his cowardice to face this powerful being. "It ends here. Now." Anavi hefted his anchor and slung it directly at Malice's head, who looked wholly uninterested. Malice stopped the large anchor with his finger as the wind rushed by and kicked up bits of dust around and behind him.

"Were you not listening? I am above mortals, you dense oaf!" He threw the anchor back at Anavi, knocking him back into the wall. A volley of arrows passed straight through Malice who turned the mildest of interested glances towards the family of heroes. "Don't you get it? I am intangible! I am incorporeal! Though I have a form, you cannot touch me with your pathetic swords and arrows! You are less than the dirt of the ocean floor to me! You are-" Gusts of wind from Anavi's seaweed whip cut through Malice, scattering his ethereal form. He gathered himself back up above the lantern and met them with a hard glare. "Rude. And to think, I saved your life!" Malice wisped over to the still vulnerable Anavi and made a shadowy blade with his hand. He drove it through the super-tough armor on his chest and straight out the back.

"No!" Link screamed, taking a few steps forward but stopped dead in his tracks as the giant slumped to the ground and Malice turned to face Link's family.

"Oh I'm sorry was that your friend?" Malice asked with a cocked head as he approached. "Well, let me see what I can do to reunite you with him." He held up his sword.

"What's the plan here, Link?" Tetra asked as they readied their weapons.

"Don't die." Was his cold reply.

"How do we hit something made of smoke that can reform itself into anything and that has the power of the Triforce?" Ianu asked frantically as they attacked.

"I don't know! I usually figure these things out as I go! The boss monster usually exposes its own weaknesses somehow or it's just painfully obvious what it is. Like, for that sand boss monster, he stuck a soft looking fleshy part out for ages just waiting for me to hook shot it and slice it. I assume we'll figure out what this guy's deal is one way or the other." Link replied.

"Hmm. I actually think you won't. Do you know why?" Malice asked, a dark light emanating from the lantern. "Because you're already dead." A thunderous crack resounded in the stone chamber and Tetra and Inoh fell to the floor, lifeless. Link dropped his sword and shield, unable to process what was happening. Ianu dropped to her knees in shock.

"Tetra! Inoh! Oh, gods please no! Not them! Take me instead!" He cried out at the top of his lungs, cradling both Tetra's and Inoh's heads in his arms, tears of anguish, fury, and agony that no living being should be put through. Ianu, still unable to comprehend reality, was in a daze, her subconscious mind trying desperately to shield her conscious mind long enough to make sense of what happened.

"Don't worry, warrior. You shall join them shortly." Malice said with sickening and obvious mirth.

"Ianu! Ianu!" Link called out as he ran to her. She was shell-shocked, still trying to process what was happening as she looked over at her mother's and brother's lifeless bodies. "Ianu, run!" it was the tone of voice that snapped Ianu out of her stupor. She had never once heard her father speak with such…uncertainty, with such….fear. Her father wasn't afraid of anything. He was the one who stood in the way of evil no matter what. He was their shield. How could he be afraid and tell her to run? And why were her mother and brother still on the ground? They couldn't leave her like that.

"Ianu I said run! Run far away from here! As far away as you can! I'll buy you time just ru-" He was cut short by a thunderous crack and flash of dark light before falling to the floor, hand still outstretched towards his daughter.

"Dad…?" Ianu said, horrified. "Daddy?" Tears began to well up in her eyes and her throat began to grow tight as she walked over to her fallen family members. "Don't leave me. Please. Don't leave me alone. I still need you. I still need your help to save everyone like I promised." Tears flowed down her face like a raging river now. "I want you to stay. I want to keep learning from you. I can't do this by myself. Daddy please don't go." She choked out.

"Don't worry, runt, you'll be with them shortly and you can all be the source of my power until there are no more souls left to burn through on this planet!" Malice laughed manically as the lantern once again began to glow. Ianu lay down on her side, curled up in a ball as her bitter tears pooled around her. The shadowy form towered above the hopeless girl with maniacal laughter as she sobbed her eyes out. There on the floor, as she lay in a pool of her own pain and misery, as she waited for the flash to signal that she was dead and with her family, she thought of them and of everything that had transpired over the last ten years. From the invasion of Windfall to the attack on her home, to the death of her family, and she wished nothing more than Malice never having existed in the first place and to have her family back again. She felt a hand on her shoulder and realized that awful cackling had stopped. She turned her head and looked up to see her father's smiling face along with Inoh's and her mother's. She felt a brand new wave of tears well up behind her eyes but this time it was not from pain but from happiness.

"Daddy?" She asked just before she scrambled to her feet and embraced her family for the first time in what felt like a lifetime for her.

"That's right, sweetheart. We're here." Link answered her as she sobbed into the collective hug. "It's okay. It's okay." He whispered, kissing her head and rubbing her back. "It's alright. We're here now. The monster's gone now. Everyone's safe now. You're safe." He soothed.

"Come on, let's go home. Grandma's got soup ready for us. How's that sound Ianu?" Tetra suggested. Ianu wiped her eyes with her arm and beamed at the suggestion.

"That sounds perfect." She replied.

"You saved everyone, Sis." Inoh said quietly as they waved down the pirate ship cruising around outside, victorious in its naval battle. "You did it. Just like you said you would. And I couldn't be more proud of you." Everyone stopped and looked at Inoh because of the uncharacteristic amount of words he had said. He rarely spoke, and even when he did, it was always short.

"Thanks. So, what happens now? If Malice never existed now, then that means Windfall never fell? And no one will remember what happened the past ten years?" Ianu inquired.

"Who knows." Answered Link. He stopped in his tracks, struck by a thought. "Wait. Hey Inoh, do you still have Joel's shield?" Inoh held up his right arm to reveal Joel's shield. A small smile formed on Link's face. "I knew it. They were always going to get together."

"I can see that. He's adventurous like you, after all. So is aryll. Adventurers are practically drawn to each other." Tetra commented.

"'Hoy!" Shouted Senza as the massive ship pulled alongside the shore. "Where to, Cap?"

"Nudge, chart a course for Outset Island. We're going home to have our fill of soup, laughter, and family." Tetra commanded as soon as they had boarded the vessel.

"Aye, ma'am. Say, why are we out here anyways?" Nudge asked her, scratching his kerchief covered head.

"Nevermind that, Nudge. Just take us home. It's been a long ten years." She ordered.

"Aye." Link, Inoh, and Ianu agreed.

"Aye, ma'am. Link, you mind giving us a Southwesterly tail wind?" Nudge inquired. Link played his Wind Waker and set them on the path that led to home, ocean spray landing on his skin and he had never been so happy to taste the bitter salt of the ocean. He held his wife and kids closely in an embrace as he had not done in quite some time. They would remember what had happened. It's hard to forget dying after all. For years to come, they would be the only ones who remembered. Many nights, Ianu would wake up in a cold sweat from her nightmares of the night she watched her family be killed and have to sleep in Inoh's room. Months later, though, that would be all that was left of the night. Just a bad memory that would fade into dream until it was lost in her subconscious mind, as it would be with the rest of them. But if one thing was for certain, it was that Inoh and Ianu would follow in their parents' footsteps and protect the world when it needed them. Together, they would continue to fulfil a promise that was made years ago by a small child under a starlit night on the shores of a tiny island.

They would protect everyone.

The End


End file.
